Trachy Talk

The NTSP's Prof Sarah Wallace was recently speaking in Cancun, Mexico at the Sociedad Latinoamericano de Disfagia (SLAD, the Latin American Dysphagia Conference). 

Sarah bumped into Johanna Gonzalez Avella who works as an SLT in Columbia, and Johanna was good enough to explain all about her work and her practice. 

Sarah also ran into Professor Valeria Ton. Valeria is an Argentinian speech and language pathologist who is currently the President of the Asociación Argentina de Disfagia and Clinical Coordinator of Speech Therapy at CIAREC in Buenos Aires. Valeria is a well known expert in adult swallowing disorders, neurogenic dysphagia, and airway rehabilitation.

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The UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) is committed to providing education, information and resources to improve patient safety and the patient experience for those with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. All of our resources are housed on our website www.tracheostomy.org.uk, accessed by over 30,000 visitors each month from around the world.

This is the only podcast to bring you literature reviews, hot topic discussions and interviews with healthcare staff, patients and families.

Our goal is to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies through education. We work closely with patients, families and healthcare professionals to develop new resources to improve care. We’ve collaborated with key stakeholders in tracheostomy care since 2009, and developed freely accessible resources, supported by online learning developed with the UK Department of Health. We’ve worked with the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative since 2012 to improve care for patients and their families everywhere.

We are funded by grants, donations and in partnership with medical device companies through unrestricted awards. This podcast series is supported by unrestricted education funding from the Atos Learning Institute. The funding supports the professional production of the podcasts and videos, and the medical device companies that support us do not have any creative influence over the content that we record. All of our work is undertaken by volunteer healthcare staff, patients and their families. 

Most of our content is supported by videos. You can access our training videos and resources for Basic Care, Emergency Care and Vocalisation & Swallowing. Download and print bedhead signs and emergency algorithms from our resources. 

You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel. You can also donate directly to the NTSP through the NTSP website, or by clicking the Buzzsprout podcast hosting "support" links. You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel.

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Pei-Wen Chen and Sean Yuan-Hao Hsu, SLPs from Mennonite Christian Hospital, Taiwan, got in touch to share a video of ACV (with permission) inspired by the work of Prof Sarah Wallace @sarahwallaceslt from the NTSP 😃

ACV is a way of enabling patients with cuff-inflated tracheostomies to talk again! While the headline is speech, there is lots more going on that helps recovery of swallowing, coughing and communication.

You can find out more on our website: https://tracheostomy.org.uk/healthcare-staff/vocalisation/sea-ctv

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The UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) is committed to providing education, information and resources to improve patient safety and the patient experience for those with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. All of our resources are housed on our website www.tracheostomy.org.uk, accessed by over 30,000 visitors each month from around the world.

This is the only podcast to bring you literature reviews, hot topic discussions and interviews with healthcare staff, patients and families.

Our goal is to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies through education. We work closely with patients, families and healthcare professionals to develop new resources to improve care. We’ve collaborated with key stakeholders in tracheostomy care since 2009, and developed freely accessible resources, supported by online learning developed with the UK Department of Health. We’ve worked with the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative since 2012 to improve care for patients and their families everywhere.

We are funded by grants, donations and in partnership with medical device companies through unrestricted awards. This podcast series is supported by unrestricted education funding from the Atos Learning Institute. The funding supports the professional production of the podcasts and videos, and the medical device companies that support us do not have any creative influence over the content that we record. All of our work is undertaken by volunteer healthcare staff, patients and their families. 

Most of our content is supported by videos. You can access our training videos and resources for Basic Care, Emergency Care and Vocalisation & Swallowing. Download and print bedhead signs and emergency algorithms from our resources. 

You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel. You can also donate directly to the NTSP through the NTSP website, or by clicking the Buzzsprout podcast hosting "support" links. You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel.

Support the show

NTSP Literature Review Podcast: May 2026 (S7, Ep5)

This months papers cover:

• Assessing swallowing with electronic stethoscopes
• Can Pro-BNP influence timing of tracheostomy?
• Weaning programs
• LLMs for paediatric tracheostomy
• Training and testing LLMs for tracheostomy care

Link to supporting PDF: https://tracheostomy.org.uk/Podcast-Resources

The UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) is committed to providing education, information and resources to improve patient safety and the patient experience for those with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. All of our resources are housed on our website www.tracheostomy.org.uk, accessed by over 30,000 visitors each month from around the world.

This is the only podcast to bring you literature reviews, hot topic discussions and interviews with healthcare staff, patients and families.

Our goal is to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies through education. We work closely with patients, families and healthcare professionals to develop new resources to improve care. We’ve collaborated with key stakeholders in tracheostomy care since 2009, and developed freely accessible resources, supported by online learning developed with the UK Department of Health. We’ve worked with the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative since 2012 to improve care for patients and their families everywhere.

We are funded by grants, donations and in partnership with medical device companies through unrestricted awards. This podcast series is supported by unrestricted education funding from the Atos Learning Institute. The funding supports the professional production of the podcasts and videos, and the medical device companies that support us do not have any creative influence over the content that we record. All of our work is undertaken by volunteer healthcare staff, patients and their families. 

Most of our content is supported by videos. You can access our training videos and resources for Basic Care, Emergency Care and Vocalisation & Swallowing. Download and print bedhead signs and emergency algorithms from our resources. 

You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel. You can also donate directly to the NTSP through the NTSP website, or by clicking the Buzzsprout podcast hosting "support" links. You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel.

Support the show

NTSP Literature Review Podcast: April 2026 (S7, Ep4)

This months papers cover:

• Clinical Position Statement of the Union of European Phoniatricians (UEP) Swallowing Committee: Management of Dysphagia in Patients with Tracheostomy:
• Impact of Tracheostomy on Dysphagia in Children

Brendan is joined by SLT legend Prof Sarah Wallace to discuss the UEP position statement and what this means for bedside clinical care.

Link to supporting PDF: https://tracheostomy.org.uk/Podcast-Resources

The UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) is committed to providing education, information and resources to improve patient safety and the patient experience for those with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. All of our resources are housed on our website www.tracheostomy.org.uk, accessed by over 30,000 visitors each month from around the world.

This is the only podcast to bring you literature reviews, hot topic discussions and interviews with healthcare staff, patients and families.

Our goal is to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies through education. We work closely with patients, families and healthcare professionals to develop new resources to improve care. We’ve collaborated with key stakeholders in tracheostomy care since 2009, and developed freely accessible resources, supported by online learning developed with the UK Department of Health. We’ve worked with the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative since 2012 to improve care for patients and their families everywhere.

We are funded by grants, donations and in partnership with medical device companies through unrestricted awards. This podcast series is supported by unrestricted education funding from the Atos Learning Institute. The funding supports the professional production of the podcasts and videos, and the medical device companies that support us do not have any creative influence over the content that we record. All of our work is undertaken by volunteer healthcare staff, patients and their families. 

Most of our content is supported by videos. You can access our training videos and resources for Basic Care, Emergency Care and Vocalisation & Swallowing. Download and print bedhead signs and emergency algorithms from our resources. 

You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel. You can also donate directly to the NTSP through the NTSP website, or by clicking the Buzzsprout podcast hosting "support" links. You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel.

Support the show

NTSP Literature Review Podcast: March 2026 (S7, Ep3.2) Part 2

This months papers cover:

• Next Generation Sequencing of Tracheal Aspirates
• Robotic PDT
• Bronchoscopy and PDT
• Staff roles and view of PDT
• Machine learning limitations for predicting PDT

Brendan is joined by Dr James Orr to explain all about sequencing techniques to identify bacterial fragments and what that means for clinical care.

Link to supporting PDF: https://tracheostomy.org.uk/Podcast-Resources

The UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) is committed to providing education, information and resources to improve patient safety and the patient experience for those with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. All of our resources are housed on our website www.tracheostomy.org.uk, accessed by over 30,000 visitors each month from around the world.

This is the only podcast to bring you literature reviews, hot topic discussions and interviews with healthcare staff, patients and families.

Our goal is to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies through education. We work closely with patients, families and healthcare professionals to develop new resources to improve care. We’ve collaborated with key stakeholders in tracheostomy care since 2009, and developed freely accessible resources, supported by online learning developed with the UK Department of Health. We’ve worked with the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative since 2012 to improve care for patients and their families everywhere.

We are funded by grants, donations and in partnership with medical device companies through unrestricted awards. This podcast series is supported by unrestricted education funding from the Atos Learning Institute. The funding supports the professional production of the podcasts and videos, and the medical device companies that support us do not have any creative influence over the content that we record. All of our work is undertaken by volunteer healthcare staff, patients and their families. 

Most of our content is supported by videos. You can access our training videos and resources for Basic Care, Emergency Care and Vocalisation & Swallowing. Download and print bedhead signs and emergency algorithms from our resources. 

You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel. You can also donate directly to the NTSP through the NTSP website, or by clicking the Buzzsprout podcast hosting "support" links. You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel.

Support the show

NTSP Literature Review Podcast: March 2026 (S7, Ep3.1) Part 1

This months papers cover:

• Next Generation Sequencing of Tracheal Aspirates
• Robotic PDT
• Bronchoscopy and PDT
• Staff roles and view of PDT
• Machine learning limitations for predicting PDT

Brendan is joined by Dr James Orr to explain all about sequencing techniques to identify bacterial fragments and what that means for clinical care.

Link to supporting PDF: https://tracheostomy.org.uk/Podcast-Resources

The UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) is committed to providing education, information and resources to improve patient safety and the patient experience for those with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. All of our resources are housed on our website www.tracheostomy.org.uk, accessed by over 30,000 visitors each month from around the world.

This is the only podcast to bring you literature reviews, hot topic discussions and interviews with healthcare staff, patients and families.

Our goal is to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies through education. We work closely with patients, families and healthcare professionals to develop new resources to improve care. We’ve collaborated with key stakeholders in tracheostomy care since 2009, and developed freely accessible resources, supported by online learning developed with the UK Department of Health. We’ve worked with the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative since 2012 to improve care for patients and their families everywhere.

We are funded by grants, donations and in partnership with medical device companies through unrestricted awards. This podcast series is supported by unrestricted education funding from the Atos Learning Institute. The funding supports the professional production of the podcasts and videos, and the medical device companies that support us do not have any creative influence over the content that we record. All of our work is undertaken by volunteer healthcare staff, patients and their families. 

Most of our content is supported by videos. You can access our training videos and resources for Basic Care, Emergency Care and Vocalisation & Swallowing. Download and print bedhead signs and emergency algorithms from our resources. 

You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel. You can also donate directly to the NTSP through the NTSP website, or by clicking the Buzzsprout podcast hosting "support" links. You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel.

Support the show

NTSP Literature Review Podcast: Feb 2026 (S7, Ep1)

This months papers cover:

First— a huge global survey from the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative showed the biggest problems in trach care aren’t always technical. They’re education, staffing, access, and caregiver support.

Second — fasting before percutaneous tracheostomy. A Turkish ICU study found longer fasting did not reduce aspiration risk, but did delay nutrition recovery and increase oxygen requirements, supporting our approach at the NTSP for tracheostomy in recovering critically ill patients.

Third — a German team showed minimally invasive tracheostomy could be safely performed even in patients with previous neck surgery using ultrasound, bronchoscopy, and blunt dissection techniques.

Fourth — a Korean study looked at landmark-guided PDT without bronchoscopy or ultrasound in resource-limited settings. It appeared feasible and safe after an initial learning curve — but adjuncts still matter in high-risk patients.

And finally… tracheostomy in cats. Yes, really. 

Link to supporting PDF: https://tracheostomy.org.uk/Podcast-Resources

The UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) is committed to providing education, information and resources to improve patient safety and the patient experience for those with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. All of our resources are housed on our website www.tracheostomy.org.uk, accessed by over 30,000 visitors each month from around the world.

This is the only podcast to bring you literature reviews, hot topic discussions and interviews with healthcare staff, patients and families.

Our goal is to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies through education. We work closely with patients, families and healthcare professionals to develop new resources to improve care. We’ve collaborated with key stakeholders in tracheostomy care since 2009, and developed freely accessible resources, supported by online learning developed with the UK Department of Health. We’ve worked with the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative since 2012 to improve care for patients and their families everywhere.

We are funded by grants, donations and in partnership with medical device companies through unrestricted awards. This podcast series is supported by unrestricted education funding from the Atos Learning Institute. The funding supports the professional production of the podcasts and videos, and the medical device companies that support us do not have any creative influence over the content that we record. All of our work is undertaken by volunteer healthcare staff, patients and their families. 

Most of our content is supported by videos. You can access our training videos and resources for Basic Care, Emergency Care and Vocalisation & Swallowing. Download and print bedhead signs and emergency algorithms from our resources. 

You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel. You can also donate directly to the NTSP through the NTSP website, or by clicking the Buzzsprout podcast hosting "support" links. You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel.

Support the show

NTSP Literature Review Podcast: June 2025 (S7, Ep1)

This months papers cover:
 - Open surgical tracheostomy and asprin
 - Out-of-pocket costs and potential surprise bills for tracheostomy
 - Impact of tracheostomy follow-up care
 - Effectiveness of VR training

Link to supporting PDF: https://tracheostomy.org.uk/Podcast-Resources

The UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) is committed to providing education, information and resources to improve patient safety and the patient experience for those with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. All of our resources are housed on our website www.tracheostomy.org.uk, accessed by over 30,000 visitors each month from around the world.

This is the only podcast to bring you literature reviews, hot topic discussions and interviews with healthcare staff, patients and families.

Our goal is to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies through education. We work closely with patients, families and healthcare professionals to develop new resources to improve care. We’ve collaborated with key stakeholders in tracheostomy care since 2009, and developed freely accessible resources, supported by online learning developed with the UK Department of Health. We’ve worked with the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative since 2012 to improve care for patients and their families everywhere.

We are funded by grants, donations and in partnership with medical device companies through unrestricted awards. This podcast series is supported by unrestricted education funding from the Atos Learning Institute. The funding supports the professional production of the podcasts and videos, and the medical device companies that support us do not have any creative influence over the content that we record. All of our work is undertaken by volunteer healthcare staff, patients and their families. 

Most of our content is supported by videos. You can access our training videos and resources for Basic Care, Emergency Care and Vocalisation & Swallowing. Download and print bedhead signs and emergency algorithms from our resources. 

You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel. You can also donate directly to the NTSP through the NTSP website, or by clicking the Buzzsprout podcast hosting "support" links. You can support our work by watching or clicking any of the advertising links that appear via the NTSP YouTube Channel.

Support the show