Pre-registration eating, drinking and swallowing competencies - about the project

Information about the pre-registration eating, drinking and swallowing competencies, their role in future-proofing the profession, and how they are relevant to you.

Why the project is needed

  • To align pre-registration EDS training with our international colleagues
  • To establish consistency of EDS training across pre-registration SLT courses in the UK
  • To improve the pathway towards EDS competency within the workforce.

Further information

What this means

This means that:

  • Learners graduating from UK speech and language therapy pre-registration education and training courses in 2026 will receive practical experience and training in EDS in line with the new pre-registration EDS competencies (PDF).
  • For NQP’s who work with people with EDS difficulties there will be additional elements within their NQP competency framework to reflect working more independently with this client group – see the NQP expectations document (Word).
  • We will work with EDS services to provide student placements/additional placements.
  • UK trained SLTs will have clinical parity with international colleagues/recognised by mutual recognition agreement (MRA) countries.

This does not mean that:

  • All services need to provide EDS placements.
  • SLTs who have already graduated will be able to access dysphagia training through this project – the normal postgraduate training route will still apply for learners entering courses before academic year 2022–2023, and in some cases 2023-2024. For specific guidance based on course start time and length, please read the implementation timeline and end-point expectations for learners graduating with the pre-registration EDS competencies.
  • All SLTs will be expected to work with dysphagia patients.
  • NQPs will be able to see complex cases without supervision or further dysphagia specialisation.
  • The pre-registration EDS competencies directly align to Level C in the RCSLT Dysphagia Training and Competency framework (2014), although there is some overlap.  This competency framework is currently being updated and will be released in 2024.

Have questions or feedback about the pre-registration EDS competencies? Let us know.

Get involved

We are really interested in hearing your thoughts and plans about implementing these competencies and if you have any local practice educator meetings, or any other speech and language therapy group meetings, we would be delighted to come and join you.

Please email Kathleen Graham at kathleen.graham@rcslt.org to coordinate this.

Good practice examples of EDS practice placements

We have already begun gathering case studies of best practice on EDS practice placements, which we encourage you to read.

If you would like to contribute a case study, please email  kathleen.graham@rcslt.org

Have questions or feedback about the pre-registration EDS competencies? Let us know.