What’s Got Us Talking: A UTS Speech Pathology Podcast

In this episode, Professor Bronwyn Hemsley and her guests explore the complex world of mealtimes on mental health wards, including the perspectives of people with mental health conditions who experience difficulty swallowing. Mealtimes in hospital are important for gaining access to nutrition and drinks, and should provide opportunities for enjoyment and recovery. But being on a busy mental health ward in hospital can impact on the way a consumer experiences their meals. Discover how small changes can make mealtimes safer, calmer, and more enjoyable for people with dysphagia on mental health wards. Thanks to the University of Technology Sydney Disability Access and Inclusion Fund for supporting co-production of this episode. Resources: Guthrie, S., J.Baker, J.Cahill, and B.Hemsley. 2026. “Patient Perspectives on Inpatient Mealtimes: Insights on Swallowing, Mental Wellbeing and Recovery.” International Journal of Mental Health Nursing35, no. 1: e70212. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70212. Dr Susan Guthrie’s Doctoral Research Thesis ‘The mealtime experiences of adults with mental illness living on inpatient wards’ - https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/35418/ Me At Mealtimes video on Dr Susan Guthrie’s PhD research - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIg2SLHk7vY Speech Pathology Australia – (go to ‘Find a Speech Pathologist’) - https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au   Host: Professor Bronwyn Hemsley Guests: Kate Starr (Research Assistant at the University of Technolgoy Sydney, Consumer) and Dr Susan Guthrie (Principal Speech and Language therapist for Leeds and York Partnership Trust, and Honorary Research Fellow at School of Healthcare, University of Leeds) Producer: Ali Aitken

Choking on food and aspiration pneumonia are two of the leading causes of death for people with disability and older people in residential settings. These tragic deaths can be prevented with proper care and attention to every person’s swallowing and mealtime needs – whether that be through assessment by a speech pathologist, a clear and helpful mealtime plan, effective mealtime supervision, or attention to the person’s positioning during and after meals. In this episode Professor Bronwyn Hemsley and her guests with lived experiences of swallowing difficulty and choking on food, or investigating deaths due to choking on food, discuss the many angles of choking on food that demand greater and urgent attention. Thanks to the University of Technology Sydney Seed Grant fund supporting co-production of this episode. Resources: Safer Care Victoria (2026) GUIDANCE – Communicating Safe Eating and Drinking (Victoria State Government, Australia) - https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-06/GUIDANCE%20-%20Communicating%20safe%20eating%20and%20drinking%20-%20Accessible.docx   Host: Professor Bronwyn Hemsley Guests: Fiona Given (Person with lived experience of dysphagia, coughing on food), Meredith Allan (Person with lived experience of dysphagia, food choking, and changes in swallowing across the lifespan), and Adjunct Professor Dr Jeffrey Chan Producer: Ali Aitken

In this three-part series within ‘What’s got us talking…’, researcher and person with swallowing disability Fiona Given helps us to understand the many factors affecting a person with difficulty swallowing. Across the three episodes, Fiona brings together the perspectives of people with lived experience of swallowing difficulty, their supporters, and health professionals. In this episode, Fiona and her guests focus on lived experience of swallowing disability across the lifespan - how swallowing changes over time, how it affects independence and identity, and what it takes to stay safe while still staying part of the social world of food. Gain insight into the issues that matter when co‑designing safe and enjoyable meals for people with swallowing disability. Thanks to the University of Technology Sydney Disability Access and Inclusion Fund for supporting co-production of this series. Resources: Hemsley, B., Almond, B., Given, F., Darcy, S., L’Espoir Decosta, P., Dann, S., … Balandin, S. (2024). Craving inclusion: a systematic review on the experiences and needs of people with disability eating out. Disability and Rehabilitation, 46(22), 5183–5198. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2023.2295006 International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative - https://www.iddsi.org/home National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality & Safeguards Commission (2020) Practice Alert Dysphagia, safe swallowing, and mealtime management - https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-05/practice-alert-dysphagia-safe-swallowing-and-mealtime-management.pdf NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, Worker training modules (go to ‘Supporting Safe and Enjoyable Meals’ module) - https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/workforce/online-training-modules Speech Pathology Australia, fact sheet, Swallowing difficulty - https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Public/Comm-swallow/Swallowing.aspx Safer Care Victoria (2026) GUIDANCE – Communicating Safe Eating and Drinking (Victoria State Government, Australia) - https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-06/GUIDANCE%20-%20Communicating%20safe%20eating%20and%20drinking%20-%20Accessible.docx   Host: Fiona Given Guests: Meredith Allan (Person with lived experience of dysphagia, food choking, and changes in swallowing across the lifespan), Adjunct Professor Dr Jeffrey Chan, and Professor Bronwyn Hemsley Producer: Ali Aitken Assistant Producers: Bronwyn Hemsley, Fiona Given

In this three-part series within ‘What’s got us talking…’, researcher and person with swallowing disability Fiona Given helps us to understand the many factors affecting a person  with difficulty swallowing. Across the three episodes, Fiona brings together the perspectives of people with lived experience of swallowing difficulty, their supporters, and health professionals. In this episode, Fiona and her guests talk about supporting safe and enjoyable meals. What can make them risky? What can improve safety? And how can teams, families, workers make good mealtime decisions for and with the people they support, that also prevent choking on food. Discover the considerations that can transform co‑designed meals into safe and enjoyable experiences for people with swallowing disability. Thanks to the University of Technology Sydney Disability Access and Inclusion Fund for supporting co-production of this series. Resources: International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative https://www.iddsi.org/home Melba Support Services (Dr Anneke Jurgens) https://www.melbasupport.com.au/ National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality & Safeguards Commission (2020) Practice Alert Dysphagia, safe swallowing, and mealtime management - https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-05/practice-alert-dysphagia-safe-swallowing-and-mealtime-management.pdf NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, Worker training modules (go to ‘Supporting Safe and Enjoyable Meals’ module) - https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/workforce/online-training-modules Safer Care Victoria (2026) GUIDANCE - Communicating Safe Eating and Drinking (Victoria State Government, Australia) - https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-06/GUIDANCE%20-%20Communicating%20safe%20eating%20and%20drinking%20-%20Accessible.docx   Host: Fiona Given Guests: Stacey Baldac (Speech Pathology Australia), Dr Anneke Jurgens (Melba Support Services), Associate Professor Deborah Debono (The University of Technology Sydney), and David Unwin (a person with lived experience of dysphagia) Producer: Ali Aitken Assistant Producer: Bronwyn Hemsley

With high rates of swallowing difficulty (dysphagia, swallowing disability) in people with disability it is important that their lived experiences are heard in decisions about mealtimes to improve their safety and wellbeing. In this three-part series within ‘What’s got us talking…’, researcher and person with swallowing disability Fiona Given helps us to understand the many factors affecting a person with difficulty swallowing. Across the three episodes, Fiona brings together the perspectives of people with lived experience of swallowing difficulty, their supporters, and health professionals. In this episode, Fiona introduces the series by discussing dysphagia and its impacts on health and wellbeing, as well as the importance of a proper assessment, mealtime plans, and a collaborative team approach. Fiona and her guests Corinne Cox and Stacey Baldac expand upon issues for everyone to consider in designing safe and enjoyable meals for people with swallowing disability. Thanks to the University of Technology Sydney Disability Access and Inclusion Fund for supporting co-production of this series. Resources: Dietitians Australia, What are the Australian Dietary Guidelines? https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/health-advice/what-are-australian-dietary-guidelines Evolve Nutrition and Health Solutions - https://www.corinnecox.com/ International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative https://www.iddsi.org/home Safer Care Victoria (2026) GUIDANCE - Communicating Safe Eating and Drinking (Victoria State Government, Australia) - https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-06/GUIDANCE%20-%20Communicating%20safe%20eating%20and%20drinking%20-%20Accessible.docx Speech Pathology Australia, fact sheet, Swallowing difficulty - https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Public/Comm-swallow/Swallowing.aspx   Host: Fiona Given Guests: Corinne Cox (Advanced Accredited Dietician, Evolve Nutrition & Health Solutions), Stacey Baldac (Speech Pathology Australia) and Professor Bronwyn Hemsley Producer: Ali Aitken Assistant Producer: Bronwyn Hemsley

In speech pathology, the rapid evolution and implementation of artificial intelligence, particularly virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), opens up an amazing world of new opportunities for our assessments and therapy with children and adults. In this episode of ‘What’s got us talking…’ UTS researchers Dr Lucy Bryant and A/Prof Catarina Pinto Moreira (UNESCO Co-Chair on Artificial Intelligence and Extended Reality) expand upon the practical and ethical challenges that clinicians might face, and need to be aware of, before they think about using artificial intelligence (AI) and VR / AR devices. We explore the promises and pitfalls of immersive technologies like AR and VR, and how these could help reshape speech pathology assessment, therapy, and services.   Resources: Bryant, L., Brunner, M., & Hemsley, B. (2019). A review of virtual reality technologies in the field of communication disability: implications for practice and research. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 15(4), 365–372.  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17483107.2018.1549276 Bryant, L., & Hemsley, B. (2022). Augmented reality: a view to future visual supports for people with disability. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 19(3), 800–813.  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17483107.2022.2125090 UNESCO Chair: Artificial Intelligence and Extended Reality https://unescoaixr.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/UnescoAIXR/ XAVIER - Combines AI and VR in radiology https://unescoaixr.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/Xavier/   Host: Professor Bronwyn Hemsley  Guests: Dr Lucy Bryant and A/Prof Catarina Pinto Moreira Producer: Ali Aitken

Dementia often changes a person’s communication while also increasing their need for connection and support. In this episode of ‘What’s Got Us Talking…’, we explore the impact of communication changes in dementia, and the important role speech pathologists play in enabling more successful communication and connection.   Resources: Dementia Australia:  Talking to someone with dementia https://www.dementia.org.au/living-dementia/staying-connected/talking-someone-dementia Speech Pathology Australia Factsheeton Dementia and Communication:  https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/common/Uploaded%20files/CommunicationHub/Fact-Sheets/Dementia%20and%20communication%20FINAL.pdf Speech Pathology Australia Dementia Practice Guideline: Working with People with Lived Experience of Dementia https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Shared_Content/Smart-Suite/Smart-Library/Public/Smart-Library-View.aspx?resource=920 Systematic Review of Communication Partner Training Programs for Families of People with Dementia (Open Access) Folder, N., Power, E., Rietdijk, R., Christensen, I., Togher, L., & Parker, D. (2023). The Effectiveness and Characteristics of Communication Partner Training Programs for Families of People with Dementia: A Systematic Review. The Gerontologist. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnad095     Host: Professor Bronwyn Hemsley  Guests: Naomi Folder and Gwenda Darling Producer: Ali Aitken

In this episode of “What’s Got Us Talking …” we explore the dangers of facilitated communication and variants Spelling to Communicate and Spellers Method. We outline the importance of recognising an individual’s communication rights and their need to access a method of communication that reflects their own thoughts, and not those of the facilitator.  Facilitated Communication and variants (Supported Typing, Letterboarding, Spelling to Communicate / Spellers Method) are increasingly being used due to: (a) growing numbers of speech-language pathologists and clinics delivering FC/S2C services; and  (b) promotion in The Telepathy Tapes (Seasons 1 and 2), which dangerously and incorrectly interpret failed message passing tests as pseudoscientific telepathy rather than being evidence of facilitator control over the messages produced.  This episode features some of the authors of a new paper outlining the communication rights of individuals exposed to the dangers of facilitated communication and variants (Spelling to Communicate, S2C, Spellers Method), listed below.  Outline of Communication Rights and Authorship Assessment in FC/RPM/Spellers (Open Access) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23297018.2025.2544116 Hemsley, B., Beals, K., Lang, R., Schlosser, R. W., Shane,  H. Simmons, W., Skinner, S., & Todd, J. (2025). Safeguarding the communication rights of minimally- or non-speaking people who are vulnerable to Facilitated Communication, Rapid Prompting (Spellers method) and variants. Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 1-21. Systematic Review of Facilitated Communication (Open Access) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2396941518821570 Hemsley, B., Bryant, L., Schlosser, R. W., Shane, H. C., Lang, R., Paul, D., Banajee, M., & Ireland, M. (2019). Systematic review of facilitated communication 2014–2018 finds no new evidence that messages delivered using facilitated communication are authored by the person with disability. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 3. https://doi.org/10.1177/2396941518821570 (Original work published 2018) United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Article 16 Freedom from Exploitation, Violence and Abuse: https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/article-16-freedom-from-exploitation-violence-and-abuse Article 21 Freedom of Expression and Opinion and Access to Information: https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/article-21-freedom-of-expression-and-opinion-and-access-to-information Website and YouTube resources: Blog posts, videos, critiques of studies, and lists of organisations with position statements opposing FC/RPM https://www.facilitatedcommunication.org/ https://www.youtube.com/@fcisnotscience   POSITION STATEMENTS on FC/RPM/S2C/Spellers American Association of Speech Language Hearing: ASHA Position Statements on Facilitated Communication https://www.asha.org/policy/ps2018-00352/ ASHA Position Statement on Rapid Prompting Method (Spelling to Communicate, S2C, Spellers Method) https://www.asha.org/policy/ps2018-00351/?srsltid=AfmBOopseOn5HhRP7E0er6QJYNt97hjImlHsPcb9S2MUc9Qud8X4Mwdp ASHA Evidence Map on Systematic Review of Facilitated Communication https://apps.asha.org/EvidenceMaps/Articles/ArticleSummary/75d47271-e474-ee11-814b-005056834e2b Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability - ASID Position Statement on Facilitated Communication and Rapid Prompting Method https://asid.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sept-2024-Final-Position-Statement-on-FC-and-RPM-13-July-202475.pdf Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists  https://www.rcslt.org/members/delivering-quality-services/facilitated-communication/#section-2   Host: Professor Bronwyn Hemsley  Guests: Dr Katherine Beals, Dr Jeffrey Chan and Professor Karen Nankervis Producer: Ali Aitken

Recognising the rising popularity of GLP/NLA, we bring the results of a systematic review into the conversation and explore some reasons for its rapid growth despite the absence of research evidence. Resources:  Key paper:  Bryant, L., Bowen, C., Grove, R. et al. (2024) Systematic review of interventions based on Gestalt Language Processing and Natural Language Acquisition (GLP/NLA): Clinical implications of absence of evidence and cautions for clinicians and parents. Curr Dev Disord Rep 12, 1–14 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-024-00312-zhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40474-024-00312-z  Websites for evidence-based practices Autism Evidence and Practice (The National clearinghouse, NCAEP, USA). https://ncaep.fpg.unc.edu/ Australian Autism CRE (Centre for Research Excellence) evidence tables https://www.autismcrc.com.au/interventions-evidence/summary-umbrella-review/evidence-table   Host: Prof Bronwyn Hemsley  Guests: Dr Lucy Bryant and Dr Caroline Bowen, AM. Produced by Laura Corrigan, thanks to 2SER

As multilingual speech pathology is an emerging field of research and practice, we explore how and why speech pathologists support multilingual clients, and several new developments. it. Resources: Multilingual Children’s Speech YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRXcSAl_dA7arRMrE0qdxLuzGChY1LgY2 Multilingual Children’s Speech website: https://www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech Key paper:  McLeod, S., & Crowe, K. (2018). Children’s consonant acquisition in 27 languages: A cross-linguistic review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(4), 1546–1571. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_AJSLP-17-0100  Free posters: https://www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech/speech-acquisition/learning-english-consonants Host: Prof Bronwyn Hemsley  Guests: Dr Denise Ng,  Prof Sharynne McCleod, Emily Chan, and Lily. Produced by Laura Corrigan, thanks to 2SER  

When a person’s voice doesn’t match the gender they identify with, this can cause dysphoria. Here’s how speech pathologists and students at UTS are helping transgender clients.  Resources: American Speech-Language Hearing Association page https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/voice-and-communication-change-for-transgender-people/ Host: Prof Bronwyn Hemsley  Guests: Dr Catherine Gregory, Skye Walker, Jenna Nelson, and Kathy Zhou. Produced by Laura Corrigan, thanks to 2SER  

We used generative AI to write this podcast headline, and then checked it matched our intended meaning. Here’s other ways we’re using it in speech pathology.  Resources: https://theconversation.com/will-ai-tech-like-chatgpt-improve-inclusion-for-people-with-communication-disability-196481 Speech Pathology Australia Position Statement on Artificial Intelligence in Speech Pathology: Ethical Considerations https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/resource?resource=935 Australian Government Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools https://www.education.gov.au/schooling/resources/australian-framework-generative-artificial-intelligence-ai-schools Host: Prof Bronwyn Hemsley  Guests: Prof Emma Power, Fiona Given, Tristan Nickless, Bernadette Frewen, and Lauren Reinhardt. Produced by Laura Corrigan, thanks to 2SER

Discover the latest research and insights in Speech Pathology from the University of Technology Sydney. Join Professor Bronwyn Hemsley, Head of Speech Pathology at UTS, as she starts the conversations shaping the field. A must-listen for speechies, students, and their curious friends. Produced by Laura Corrigan, thanks to 2SER