IJLCD - Healthcare professionals' experiences and opinions of above cuff vocalisation

Please let us know what you think of this podcast.Please let us know what you think of this podcast.In this episode we chat with Dr Claire Mills about her PhD paper 'Worth a try or a last resort: Healthcare professionals’ experiences and opinions of above cuff vocalisation'. Above Cuff Vocalisation (ACV) is a technique that allows patients with a cuffed tracheostomy tube to speak. A recent systematic review highlighted the limited evidence available for the acceptability, effectiveness, safety or optimal implementation of ACV.Dr Mills set out to explore the experience of healthcare professionals (HCPs) using ACV and their perceptions of best practice. The master's student who supported this work is Shilpa Namboodiri.Dr Mills is Adult Clinical and Professional Lead Speech and Language Therapist—specialising in critical care—at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, London.The paper is:Worth a try or a last resort: Healthcare professionals’ experiences and opinions of above cuff vocalisation’ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1460-6984.12970Funding:This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) as part of an HEE/NIHR ICA Programme. Claire Mills was funded by an NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship (ICA-CDRF-2017-03-036). Claire is now funded by an NIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship (NIHR507322). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.Further information:Download your copy of the ACV Safety Guidance: https://www.atosmedical.co.uk/blog-and-news/above-cuff-vocalisation-acv-safety-guidelinesEvidence for Above Cuff Vocalization in Patients with a Tracheostomy: A Systematic Review: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lary.29591Survey of Healthcare Professionals: https://www.archives-pmr.org/article/S0003-9993(21)01426-X/fulltextHealth Economic Evaluation: https://journals.lww.com/ccejournal/fulltext/2025/12000/an_early_stage_decision_analytic_health_economic.12.aspxMathematical modelling of airflow in the subglottic space during ACV: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00134-025-08005-wTroubleshooting above cuff vocalisation: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00134-024-07779-9Please be aware that the views expressed are those of the guests and not the RCSLT.Please be aware that the views expressed are those of the guests and not the RCSLT.