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Dysphagia Awareness training

Six microlessons on dysphagia, who is at risk, recognizing the signs, safe mealtime support with IDDSI and when to escalate, with situational tests and a certificate of completion.

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Dysphagia Awareness (UK) course preview
6Short, TikTok-style microlessonsIn the browser or the iOS and Android apps

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Collingwood nsave ICAB Delamode LOQBOX Kennedys GSK Student Cribs Millennium Hotels Paris Baguette
  • 2Assessments
  • 6Microlessons
  • IncludedCertificate of completion
About this course

What the Dysphagia Awareness course covers

This course helps care teams keep mealtimes safe for people with swallowing difficulties in six microlessons. It covers why dysphagia matters, who is most at risk, including people with stroke, dementia, Parkinson's, learning disabilities and frailty, the warning signs including silent aspiration, how a normal swallow works, safe support using the IDDSI framework, positioning and pacing, and roles, responsibilities and escalation to a speech and language therapist.

Learning outcomes

What your people will be able to do

  • Explain what dysphagia is and the harm it can cause in adult social care
  • Recognize people at risk and record early changes in swallowing
  • Spot visible and silent signs of dysphagia and report them accurately
  • Follow IDDSI texture levels exactly as the care plan prescribes
  • Support safe mealtimes with good positioning, pacing, mouth checks and oral hygiene
  • Escalate concerns promptly and respect decisions made with capacity
Course contents

6 microlessons

Each microlesson is a short, TikTok-style video lesson, with knowledge checks along the way.

1Why Dysphagia Matters
2Who Is at Risk and Why
3Recognising the Signs and Symptoms
4What Is Dysphagia?
5Safe Support in Practice
6Roles, Responsibilities and Escalation of Dysphagia Issues

  1. Why Dysphagia Matters: What dysphagia is and the harms it can cause, from choking to malnutrition.
  2. Who Is at Risk and Why: The conditions linked to swallowing difficulties, including stroke, dementia and frailty.
  3. Recognising the Signs and Symptoms: Signs at mealtimes and between them, including silent aspiration.
  4. What Is Dysphagia?: How a normal swallow works and what happens when it goes wrong.
  5. Safe Support in Practice: IDDSI texture levels, positioning, pacing and oral hygiene at mealtimes.
  6. Roles, Responsibilities and Escalation of Dysphagia Issues: Who does what, staying within your competence and when to escalate.
A 5Mins certificate of completion for Dysphagia Awareness (UK), lying on a desk next to a laptop
Certificate

A certificate for every learner who completes it

Learners finish every microlesson and complete the assessments. 5Mins then issues a certificate of completion for Dysphagia Awareness (UK).

  • Certificates and e-signatures stored against each learner
  • Audit-ready records, ready whenever an auditor asks
  • Completion shows on the Compliance Dashboard in real time
Audience and regulation

Who it's for and the law it covers

Who it's for

  • Care workers and support workers
  • Nurses and healthcare assistants
  • Kitchen and catering teams in care settings
  • Domiciliary care teams who support people at mealtimes

Laws covered

  • Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, Regulation 12. Care providers must provide safe care and treatment, including managing the risks of choking and aspiration.
  • Mental Capacity Act 2005. A person with capacity can choose to eat or drink against advice, and that decision should be recorded and supported.
How it runs in 5Mins

Assign it once, then let 5Mins do the chasing

Every course in the 5Mins library runs on the same zero-admin engine.

  • EnrollAuto-enroll

    Enroll people automatically from your HR system, with 100+ HRIS platforms supported.

  • RemindReminders

    Nudges by email, Slack, Microsoft Teams and push until the course is done.

  • RepeatRecurrence

    Set the course to repeat, for example every 12 months, and 5Mins re-enrolls people for you.

  • CertifyCertificates

    Certificates and e-signatures are issued and stored for every completion.

  • ProveAudit-ready records

    See who is complete, at risk or overdue on the Compliance Dashboard, and prove it any time.

Customer stories

Compliance teams that swapped chasing for results

Compliance, HR and L&D leaders on what changed when they moved their training to 5Mins. Pick a team to see what changed.

ComplianceCompliance Training Insurance, 205 colleagues 100%

compliance completion and pass rate since go-live

  • ~1 day saved on each compliance course (HR estimate)
  • Automated reminders and reporting

Since go-live, our compliance completion and pass rates are 100%, and it's the quickest we've ever got there. Automated reminders and reporting save us about a day per course.

Laura ChappellLaura ChappellHR Director, Collingwood
Read the Collingwood story
ComplianceCompliance Training Insurance and emergency accommodation 87%

less session time, from 2.5-3 hour sessions to modules of 25 minutes at most

  • 12 monthly sessions a year, up from 3-4
  • 95% content creation time saved

Our compliance sessions used to be two and a half to three hours in a room, and we could fit in three or four a year. Now we cover one topic a month, and I can see exactly what people are retaining.

Lucy WybornLucy WybornDirector of Learning and Development, ICAB
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ComplianceCompliance Training Legal services 80%

completion on mandatory training, up from 20%

  • Mobile microlessons finished between calls
  • Manager view of each team's progress

We were sitting at 20% completion on our mandatory training. We're now at 80%. People finish short lessons between calls, on mobile, and managers can see where their teams are, so chasing completion is no longer a one-person job.

Jamie WaltonJamie WaltonGroup Learning and Development Officer, Winn Solicitors
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ComplianceCompliance Training Fintech and digital banking On demand

training log showing who did what, when, and the pass rate

  • Any device phone or laptop, at their own pace
  • Rolling refreshers through the year

When I engage with the FCA, I can show that every team has had training tailored to their role, that it's up to date, and that it runs throughout the year, with a full log of who's done what.

Abdul GofurAbdul GofurHead of Compliance & Anti-Financial Crime, nsave
Read the nsave story
★ Free sample lesson

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Interested in Dysphagia Awareness training? Request a free sample lesson, book a short demo with our team, and we'll share your sample lessons after the call.

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Free course catalogues

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Free PDF catalogues to share with your compliance lead, your managers or your board.

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Health & social care

Health & Social Care Compliance Catalogue

Compliance training for health and social care teams, helping you meet regulatory standards and keep staff, patients and the people you support safe.

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UK compliance

UK Compliance Catalogue

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Global Compliance Catalogue

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Your questions answered

Questions about Dysphagia Awareness training

How long is the Dysphagia Awareness course?

It's made up of 6 microlessons, each under 5 minutes. Learners can finish it in one sitting or spread it over a few days, and 5Mins sends reminders until it is done.

Is there a certificate?

Yes. Learners get a certificate of completion once they finish every microlesson and complete the situational tests. The record is stored in 5Mins for audits.

What is IDDSI?

The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative. It sets standard texture levels for food and drink, so everyone prepares a modified diet the same way. The fifth microlesson covers the levels and simple checks.

What is silent aspiration?

When food, drink or saliva goes into the airway without an obvious cough. Signs can include repeated chest infections, a wet voice or unexplained weight loss. The third microlesson explains what to look for.

How often should staff take dysphagia training?

Train people before they support anyone at mealtimes and refresh it regularly. In 5Mins you can set the course to repeat, for example every 12 months.

Can I try the Dysphagia Awareness course first?

Yes. Request a free sample lesson and book a short demo with our team. After your demo, we'll share sample lessons with you so you can see the format for yourself.

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