Ms Susan Guthrie

Profile

I started my new role in October 2018 as a CArDINAL Clinical academic research fellow, Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (aka SLT or SLP). Fellowship hosted by University of Leeds and Leeds and York Partnership Trust. I am also an Honorary Senior Lecturer with University of Technology, Sydney and developing collaboration with the new SLP department there.

I have completed pilot work around dysphagia with people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions in my previous post in Lancashire (with Lancashire Care NHS Trust and Merseycare NHS Trust).

I am looking forward to working in Leeds with adults with mental health conditions and developing my role as a research fellow, PhD student, and clinician.

Research interests

I am interested in dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), choking and communication. I am also interested in the development of SLT competency in dysphagia (see publications). In 2018 I have worked with RCSLT on developing guidance on safeguarding and delegating. Previously I have been involved with the RCSLT dysphagia research working group.

I have started my PhD this year (1st November 2018) as a part time student and am in the process of developing my PhD question and study. A key aspect will be exploring the nature of choking incidents experienced by adults with mental health conditions.

Qualifications

• MSc (Psychology) research in clinical communication with Distinction
• Dip. Clinical Communication Studies
• MA (Hons) French and Linguistics