Skip to main content

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Menu Search


Trinity College Dublin By using this website you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with the Trinity cookie policy. For more information on cookies see our cookie policy.

      
Profile Photo

Professor Margaret Walshe

Professor In (Clin Speech & Language Studies)
7/9 STH LEINSTER ST

 walshema@tcd.ie

 3531896 2382


Research Tags

  Acquired Motor Speech Disorders   Communication Difficulties following Stroke   Dysphagia   Evidence based practice   Outcome measures   Swallowing Disorders

Research Projects

 Profiling the Communication Abilities in People with Dementia
 Botulinum toxin to reduce drooling in people with Parkinson's disease
 Methods to improve physical health in people with schizophrenia: an overview of Cochrane and Non Cochrane Systematic Reviews
 Examining the Concurrent Validity of the Oropress
 Diet modification for oropharyngeal dysphagia in adults with dementia

Page 1 of 3

Representations

Details Date
Board Member and Vice President of European Society of Swallowing Disorders 2012 -2019
Visiting Professor, Masters in Deglutology Programme, KU Leuven, Belgium Current
Member of the Multi-Professional Steering Group in the REH-COVER project for Cochrane Rehabilitation Field Current
Visiting Professor, Masters in Dysphagia programme, Universitate Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
Clinical Trial Steering Group Member: SIP-SMART 2 Trial funded by the NIHR UK September 2021 - September 2025
Clinical Trial Steering Group on Early ICU Rehabilitation Trial funded by Belfast Trust Northern Ireland November 2022- November 2025
Invited Expert Reviewer for World Health Organisation Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation (PIR) for Communication and Swallowing in Stroke November 2021-May 2022
Associate Editor journal Folia Phoniatrica et Logopedia Current
Editorial Board member for journal Advances in Communication and Swallowing Current
Editorial Board of Interventions for Rehabilitation (specialty section of Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences). Current
External examiner University of Nottingham, UK May 2021
External Examiner M.Sc (Research) University of Malta April 2016
External Examiner PhD Thesis Griffith University, Australia April 2020
International expert advisor for the position of assistant/associate/professor at the University of Helsinki. January 2020
External Examiner PhD thesis, University of Queensland, Australia January 2020, July 2022
External examiner doctorate in speech and language therapy (DST), University College London, UK. July 2015
External Examiner PhD, University of Milan, Italy November 2019
External Examiner PhD Theses, University College London, UK Oct 2013, June 2014, Jan 2018, July 2018
External Examiner PhD Thesis, Technical University Sydney, Australia November 2022
External expert for review of funding proposals associated with COST. COST is an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology Current
External Examiner for M.Sc thesis. Munster Technological University, Kerry, Ireland August 2022
Professional Representative on National Clinical Effectiveness Committee on Education and Training in Clinical Effectiveness November 2016 - March 2017
External Examiner PhD thesis, Newcastle University, UK. October 2003
SLT representative for European Stroke Organisation and European Society for Swallowing Disorders Guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of post-stroke dysphagia Jan 2019
Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Clinical Advisory Group in Dysarthria 1997
Member of IASLT Dysphagia Competency Committee and advisor on clinical guidelines 2007
Reviewer for the following journals: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, Disability and Rehabilitation, Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research, International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, Parkinson's Disease, Annals of Oral Biology Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Dysphagia, Journal of Postgraduate Medicine Member of the Advisory Editorial Board for Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies
External Reviewer for Grant Applications: (1) NHS National Institute for Health Research (2) Parkinson's UK (3) Dunhill Medical Trust
Member of Steering Committee on Dying in a Disability Service in Ireland ( Joint Policy Development Initiative between St Francis Hospice Raheny and Cheshire Ireland. Project funded by Irish Hospice Foundation December 2013 - February 2014
IASLT Representative on HSE Health and Social Care Professional Research Group June 2014 - to Sept 2017
Speech and Language Therapy representative on HSE Committee Developing Online Learning ( Writing for Publication). 2014-2015

Memberships

Membership of Professional Institutions, Associations, Societies

Details Date From Date To
Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists 2009 Current date
CORU Registered Speech and Language Therapist 2015 Current date
International Affiliate American Speech and Hearing Association 2004 Current date
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists 1983 Current date
Dysphagia Research Society 2007 Current date
European Society for Swallowing Disorders 2011 Current date
Hirschwald J, Duncan SA, Warnecke T, Boyle G, Regan J, Walshe M, Development of a Core Outcome Set for Dysphagia Interventions in Parkinson's disease (COS-DIP), BMJ Open, 2024, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Battel I, Arienti C, Del Furia MJ, Hirschwald J, Lazzarini SG, Walshe M., Rehabilitation interventions for oropharyngeal dysphagia in people with Parkinson's disease., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, January, (1), 2024, pDOI: 10.1002/14651858. , Notes: [Issue 1. Art. No.: CD015816.], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text
Gillman A, Kenny C, Hayes M, Walshe M, Reynolds JV, Regan J, Nature, severity, and impact of chronic oropharyngeal dysphagia following curative resection for esophageal cancer: a cross-sectional study., Diseases of the Esophagus., 2024, Notes: [doi:10.1093/dote/doae003], Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Hirschwald, Finnegan, Hofacker, Walshe, Underserved groups in dysphagia intervention trials in Parkinson"s disease: A scoping review, Ageing Research Reviews, 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Hirschwald J, Hofacker J, Duncan SA, Walshe M, Swallowing outcomes in dysphagia intervention in parkinson's disease: A scoping review, BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, 28, (2), 2023, p111 - 118, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Battel I, Walshe M, An intensive neurorehabilitation programme with sEMG biofeedback to improve swallowing in Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD): A feasibility study, International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 58, (3), 2023, p813 - 825, Notes: [doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.12824.], Journal Article, IN_PRESS  DOI  Other
Dooley S, Furey S, O'Hanlon S, Walshe M., Conversation coaching in dementia: a feasibility study., European Geriatric Medicine, 2023, Notes: [Published online December 27, 2023. doi:10.1007/s41999-023-00908-5], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Arienti, C., Armijo-Olivo, S., Ferriero, G., Feys, P., Hoogeboom, T., Kiekens, C., Lazzarini, S. G., Minozzi, S., Negrini, S., Oral, A., Pollini, E., Puljak, L., Todhunter-Brown, A., Walshe, M, The influence of bias in randomized controlled trials on rehabilitation intervention effect estimates: what we have learned from meta-epidemiological studies., European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine, 2023, Notes: [Published online December 12, 2023. doi:10.23736/S1973-9087.23.08310-7], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Gillman A, Hayes M; Sheaf G, Walshe M, Reynolds JV, Regan J, Exercise-Based Dysphagia Rehabilitation for Adults with Oesophageal Cancer: a Systematic Review, BMC Cancer, 2022, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Rowland S, Mills C, Walshe M, Perspectives on Speech and Language Pathology Practices and Service Provision in Adult Critical Care Settings in Ireland and other International Settings: A Cross-Sectional Survey, International Journal of Language and Communication, early online , 2022, p1 - 12, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
  

Page 1 of 20
Diagnosis of Dysphagia in the Older Person in, editor(s)Clave P & Ortega O , A Multidisciplinary Approach to Managing Swallowing Dysfunction in Older People, London UK, Elsevier, 2024, [Walshe M, Schindler A, Martin A], Notes: [1st Edition - March 1, 2024], Book Chapter, IN_PRESS
Dysphagia Diagnosis: Non Instrumental Assessment in, editor(s)Clave P & Ortega O , A Multidisciplinary Approach to Managing Swallowing Dysfunction in Older People, London UK, Elsevier, 2024, [Walshe M, Riera S, Regan J], Notes: [1st Edition - March 1, 2024], Book Chapter, IN_PRESS
Gandolfi S, Andriani C, Walshe M, 'Swallowing Outcomes in Dysphagia in Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Protocol for a scoping review', 2024, 1 - 12, Protocol or guideline, PUBLISHED
Hirschwald J, Groppa S, Walshe M, Skill training with biofeedback for people with parkinson's disease and dysphagia: Protocol for a feasibility study during covid 19. , Dysphagia , European Society for Swallowing Disorders, Virtual , October 2020, 37, (3), Springer , 2022, pp15-, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED
Hirschwald J, Groppa S, Walshe M, Skill training with biofeedback for people with parkinson's diase and dysphagia: Protocol for a feasibility study during covid 19. , Dysphagia , European Society for Swallowing Disorders, Virtual , October 2020, 37, (3), Springer , 2022, pp15-, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED
Radtke J, Tampoukari E, Harpur I, Walshe M , 'Protocol for Epidemiology Of Dysphagia In Adults With Atypical Parkinsonian Disorders: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis', Submitted to PROSPERO, 2021, -, Protocol or guideline, PUBLISHED
Hirschwald J, Hofacker J, Duncan, SA, Walshe M, , 'Swallowing Outcome Measures in Dysphagia Interventions in Parkinson's Disease: Protocol for a Scoping Review', TCD , 2021, -, Protocol or guideline, PUBLISHED
Walshe M, Battel I, Intervention for Dysphagia post Covid-19: Overview with Single Case Study, 38th ESSD Live Stream Webinar , Virtual , 20th July , 2020, European Society for Swallowing Disorders, Invited Talk, PRESENTED
Dooley S, Walshe M , Management of Cognitive Communication Difficulties in Dementia: A Cross Sectional Survey of Speech and Language Therapists , 2020, -, Miscellaneous, PUBLISHED
Walshe M, Regan J, Kenny C. , 8th Annual ESSD Congress, 25th - 29th Sept , In:Dysphagia: Shaping the Future, 2018, Aviva Stadium Dublin , Meetings /Conferences Organised, PRESENTED

  

Page 1 of 3

Awards and Honours

Award Date
Elected to Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin April 2022
Provosts PhD Award September 2021
Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists Mentorship Award September 2021
Health Research Board Cochrane Fellow January 2009
Trinity College Dublin Arts and Social Sciences Benefactions Fund September 2012 & January 2021

Research Interests

Description Of Research Interests

My clinical background underpins my research on communication and swallowing disorders (dysphagia). Speech and Language Therapy is relatively young profession. We lack reliable assessments and interventions in aspects of communication and swallowing with negative consequences for patient care. Building evidence for better patient outcomes and improving research design is a consistent theme in my research. Measuring change as a result of treatment is fundamental in research and clinical practice. I devised Dysarthria Impact Profile ((Walshe et al. 2009) to assess psychosocial impact of dysarthria (acquired speech disorder) on the speaker. This remains one of the few instruments available in this area worldwide and is translated into 8+ languages. Furthermore, to address an urgent need for communication assessment in dementia, I secured funding and led development Profiling Communication Ability in Dementia (P-CAD) (Dooley et al. 2022). Other examples of leadership include examining the accuracy of current diagnostic dysphagia tests (Bechet et al. 2016; Calvo et al. 2016; Walshe et al. 2017), contributed to international test validation (Huckabee et al. 2018), published a European Position Statement on swallowing assessment (Speyer et al. 2021) and translation of a test for clinical use in Italy (Battel et al. 2018). Amalgamating evidence on existing dysphagia management led to my involvement with the international Cochrane Collaboration. I secured funding to lead three Cochrane reviews with international teams and am an invited member of Cochrane Rehabilitation contributing to evidence updates during COVID-19 (REH-COVER project) (Negrini et al. 2021). Exploring new treatments, and improving trial design is important to me. Clinical trials use different outcomes, and measure these differently making it impossible to conclude if treatments are effective overall. I lead the TCD COS-DIP project to improve trial design in dysphagia in Parkinson's disease. I currently collaborate on two funded UK clinical trials in critical care and cancer.