- Home
- Health & Safety
- Dysphagia Awareness Course
Dysphagia Awareness Course
£15 + VAT
Written By Allison
- CPD Accredited | Instant Certificate | Mobile Friendly | Bulk Discounts Available
Trusted by care providers, healthcare organisations, businesses and workplace teams
Dysphagia Awareness introduces how swallowing works, what can affect it, who may be at risk and how swallowing difficulties are managed. Designed for people supporting others with eating and drinking, this course helps learners recognise concerns and identify appropriate sources of help. Its practical focus supports earlier escalation and more informed mealtime support.
Dysphagia Awareness Course Summary
Course Name: Dysphagia Awareness
Duration: 1 hour
Delivery: Online Training Course
Certificate Included: Instant Digital Certificate on successful completion
Accreditation: CPD Accredited – 1 CPD point
Suitable For: Care workers, healthcare assistants, nurses, support workers, care managers, education staff, catering teams and family carers supporting people with swallowing difficulties
Assessment: Online Multiple Choice Test, with unlimited resits
Access: Instant Access, with 12 months to complete the course.
Duration
1 hour
CPD Points
1
Last Updated:
25 Jul 2026
What is Dysphagia Awareness training?
Dysphagia Awareness training introduces the difficulties people can experience when swallowing food, drinks or saliva. It explains normal swallowing, factors that disrupt it, warning signs and the professionals involved in management.
The training exists because swallowing problems can be overlooked during routine support. Knowing what to notice helps staff raise concerns before difficulties become more serious.
Learners explore the stages of swallowing, dysphagia risks, its effects and approaches to management. This knowledge provides a foundation for recognising concerns and seeking help within their role.
Awareness training should sit alongside individual care instructions, employer procedures and any practical training required for mealtime support. Completing an online course does not qualify someone to diagnose dysphagia or independently assess swallowing. Recognised professional frameworks distinguish awareness from care-plan implementation and specialist assessment.
CPD Accredited
User friendly interactive courses
Instant Access
Enrol Now – Start Instantly
Certify Instantly
Certificate Available Immediately
Learn on Any Device
Train on Phone, Tablet or Computer
Money Back Guarantee
14 Day Money Back Guaratnee
How Would You Like to Access This Course?
Flexible options for individuals, staff teams and organisations
1
Instant Online Purchase
From 1 to 100+ learners • Bulk discounts available • Instant online access and certificates included
- Instant Access - No Quote Required
- CPD Accredited Certificates Included
- 100% Online & Mobile Friendly
- Assign Courses to Staff, Friends or Family
- Track Progress and Completions Online
- 14 Day Money Back Guarantee
£15 + VAT
CPD • Certificate included • Start instantly
Quantity
Per Course Price
1+ Courses
£15 + Vat
5+ Courses
£9.40 + Vat
10+ Courses
£8.49 + Vat
30+ Courses
£7.99 + Vat
50+ Courses
£6.49 + Vat
100+ Courses
£4.99 + Vat
2
Need Ongoing Staff Training?
Best value for teams of 8+ learners who need regular mandatory, induction and refresher training.
- Save Money on Staff Training
- Access Our Full 200+ Course Library
- Instant certificates issued
- Track Compliance Across Your Team
- Free Learner Replacements
- Reporting & Certificate Management
- CQC inspection ready
- Lowest price guarantee
- Dedicated Support
Best Price Guarantee • CQC Inspection Ready
When should I choose Caredemy Teams?
Caredemy Teams is ideal for organisations with 8+ learners who need access to multiple courses for mandatory training, induction training, and annual refreshers. Benefit from our best-value pricing, free learner replacements, compliance reporting, and access to our full course library. If you only need a small number of CPD courses, you can buy online instantly.
Access friendly, dedicated expert support whenever you need it, with guidance available throughout your learning journey
All-access individual subscription
Get unlimited access to 200+ CPD-accredited courses. One low monthly price. Learn anytime.
Buy any 5 courses for £47
Mix and max any courses.
CPD accredited - Certificates included.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is suitable for care assistants, healthcare assistants, nurses, domiciliary care workers, support workers and personal assistants who support people with eating and drinking.
It is relevant to care homes, nursing homes, hospitals, supported living, community services and learning disability services. Care managers and team leaders can use it as introductory learning for staff whose work brings them into contact with swallowing difficulties.
Teachers, teaching assistants and school nurses supporting pupils with identified swallowing needs may also benefit. Catering staff preparing meals for people with dysphagia can use the course to develop background awareness alongside specific food-preparation instructions.
Family carers and volunteers may find it helpful for recognising concerns and understanding where to seek support. Staff undertaking clinical assessment or specialist dysphagia management need training appropriate to those responsibilities.
Key Benefits
✓ Recognise swallowing concerns during everyday mealtime support.
✓ Identify people who may need closer observation or specialist advice.
✓ Explain how swallowing difficulties can affect health and wellbeing.
✓ Understand why individual dysphagia management instructions matter.
✓ Identify the professionals to contact about swallowing concerns.
✓ Support safer care through informed observation and timely escalation.
Course Modules
- Dysphagia Awareness – Course Introduction
- What is Dysphagia?
- Stages of Swallowing
- Things that Affect Swallowing
- Knowledge Check – How do we Swallow?
- Risks for Dysphagia
- Affects fo Dysphagia
- Signs of Dysphagia
- Managing Dysphagia
- Who Manages Dysphagia?
Ready to start?
Learning Outcomes
| Learner Outcome | Covered |
|---|---|
| Define dysphagia as difficulty swallowing. | ✓ |
| Describe the stages involved in normal swallowing. | ✓ |
| Identify factors that can affect swallowing. | ✓ |
| Identify people at increased risk of dysphagia. | ✓ |
| Explain the potential effects of swallowing difficulties. | ✓ |
| Recognise signs that may indicate dysphagia. | ✓ |
| Explain the purpose of dysphagia management. | ✓ |
| Identify professionals involved in supporting people with dysphagia. | ✓ |
| Explain how to seek help when supporting someone with swallowing difficulties. | ✓ |
Training 8+ Staff Across Multiple Courses?
Purchasing multiple licences for this training course? Simply adjust the quantity and buy online today.
If you need ongoing training for 10+ employees across multiple subjects, our Team Training platform provides access to 200+ CPD accredited courses, compliance reporting, learner management and bulk enrolment tools.
- Access 200+ CPD Accredited Courses
- Manage All Learners In One Place
- Compliance & Audit Reporting
- Bulk Enrolment & Certificate Tracking
- Dedicated Account Support
Team Training Solutions
Ideal for care providers, healthcare organisations and workplace teams training multiple employees.
Why Choose Caredemy?
- Instant Certificate
- CPD-accredited courses
- Money Back Guarantee
- Expert-designed training
- 120,000 learners trained
- Flexible online learning
- Compliance-focused
- Dedicated support
What Our Learners Say?
“The explanation of swallowing stages helped me understand why changes at mealtimes need attention.”
Helen Morris
Care Assistant
“Clear introductory training that helped me recognise swallowing concerns and understand when to seek specialist advice.”
Daniel Reed
Healthcare Assistant
“Useful for staff induction, particularly the sections on dysphagia risks and the professionals involved in management.”
Aisha Patel
Care Home Manager
4.87/5 from 939+ learners
Why Is Dysphagia Awareness training important?
Dysphagia can affect a person’s safety, nutrition, hydration and enjoyment of meals. Possible consequences include choking, food or drink entering the airway, chest infections and difficulty maintaining a healthy weight.
Staff providing everyday support are well placed to notice changes. For example, a resident who repeatedly struggles with drinks may need their swallowing concerns escalated rather than treated as a normal part of ageing.
Dysphagia Awareness training helps learners connect observations with the need for professional advice. It supports more informed communication between care workers, nurses, catering teams and swallowing specialists.
For employers, introductory training contributes to staff development and safer working practices. Its value is strongest when combined with current care plans, clear referral procedures and checks that staff can carry out their assigned responsibilities.
Instant Course Certificate
Is Dysphagia Awareness training a legal requirement in the UK?
There is no blanket UK requirement for every worker to complete a course specifically called “Dysphagia Awareness”. However, employers must ensure staff receive training appropriate to their responsibilities.
In England, Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 requires relevant staff support, training and supervision. Regulation 14 requires providers to meet nutritional and hydration needs where these fall within their care arrangements. For dysphagia support, this means staff need appropriate knowledge and must follow assessed needs and specialist advice.
These regulations apply in England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate regulatory systems.
Employers should select training according to service-user needs and staff duties. Course completion can contribute to training evidence, but practical competence and safe care arrangements must also be demonstrated.
Trusted by 120,000+ learners
Trusted by care providers, healthcare organisations, businesses and workplace teams across the UK for high-quality online training
Office & Commercial
Health & Social Care
Industrial, Warehousing & Facilities
Hospitality, Retail & Public Services
Dysphagia Awareness training FAQ?
What is dysphagia awareness training?
Dysphagia awareness training introduces swallowing difficulties, how normal swallowing works and the factors that can affect it. It helps people supporting others with eating and drinking recognise concerns and understand where to seek help. This introductory course provides background knowledge for everyday care rather than a qualification in clinical swallowing assessment.
Who needs dysphagia awareness training?
Dysphagia awareness training is relevant to staff whose duties involve supporting people with swallowing difficulties or noticing changes during meals. This includes care workers, healthcare assistants, nurses and support workers. Education staff, catering teams and family carers may also benefit. Employers should match additional practical or specialist training to each person’s responsibilities.
What are the signs of dysphagia?
Signs can include coughing or choking while eating or drinking, a wet or gurgly voice, difficulty chewing, drooling or a feeling that food is stuck. Unexplained weight loss, dehydration and repeated chest infections can also indicate concerns. Swallowing difficulties need prompt medical advice; follow your workplace escalation procedure when supporting someone with these symptoms.
Is dysphagia awareness training a legal requirement?
A named dysphagia awareness course is not universally required by UK law. However, staff supporting people with swallowing difficulties need training suited to their duties. In England, Regulation 18 requires appropriate staff training, while Regulation 14 addresses nutrition and hydration where applicable. Employers should assess training needs and verify competence rather than rely solely on certificates.
How long does the Dysphagia Awareness course take?
The course takes approximately one hour, although completion time varies with reading pace and previous experience. You can work through the learning at your own pace and revisit sections before taking the assessment. This makes it practical to fit introductory dysphagia learning around shifts, induction activities or other staff development.
Do I receive a dysphagia awareness certificate?
Yes. After successfully completing the online multiple choice assessment, you receive a digital CPD-accredited certificate that you can download or print. The course includes unlimited assessment resits. Employers can retain the certificate as evidence of completed learning, alongside any workplace observations or competency checks required for the learner’s duties.
How often should dysphagia awareness training be refreshed?
There is no single UK-wide statutory refresher interval for a course with this title. Employers should set review dates according to staff responsibilities, workplace policy and the needs of people receiving support. Review learning sooner when duties change, concerns arise or staff need help applying instructions. CQC guidance expects training needs to be reviewed at appropriate intervals.
Does this course qualify me to assess swallowing or change food textures?
No. This introductory course does not qualify you to diagnose dysphagia, independently assess swallowing or decide which food textures and drink consistencies someone needs. Those decisions require appropriate professional assessment. Staff should follow the person’s current management plan and seek advice about changes. Hands-on support may require additional training and assessed competence.
Need Training for Multiple Employees?
Train your entire workforce through Caredemy Teams with bulk enrolment, compliance reporting and access to 200+ CPD courses.
- CPD-accredited certificate
- Instant Certificate
- Learn of Any Device
- Money-back Guarantee
Related Courses You May Like
UK Regulations And Guidance
£15 + Vat
Dysphagia Awareness Course
- CPD Accredited
- Instant Certificate
- Instant Access
- Bulk Discounts Available