The latest NTSP publication appeared on line in the Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare in October. The article, entitled ‘the role of the multidisciplinary team in the care of the tracheostomy patient’, explains what roles key staff play in improving the safety and quality of care of our patients. We hope that this makes roles clear as we attempt to standardise care across institutions, regions and countries. Different staff have different titles and roles around the world and there has been a call in the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative discussion forums for greater clarity.
Tracheostomies are used to provide artificial airways for increasingly complex patients for a variety of indications. Patients and their families are dependent on knowledgeable multidisciplinary staff, including medical, nursing, respiratory physiotherapy and speech and language therapy staff, dieticians and psychologists, from a wide range of specialty backgrounds. There is increasing evidence that coordinated tracheostomy multidisciplinary teams can influence the safety and quality of care for patients and their families. This article reviews the roles of these team members and highlights the potential for improvements in care.