Risks vs benefits

Consider risks vs benefits

Always ask yourself whether there are risks associated with treatment, and whether the benefits of a treatment outweigh potential risk.

When deciding on intervention, you should think about whether it is more helpful than harmful, not just whether it is helpful. This depends on the size of the good and bad effects.

The size of the effects following an intervention may depend on the severity of the speech, language, communication or swallowing difficulties of the service user.

It also depends on how important the outcomes are to the service user. For example, continuing with an intensive aphasia rehabilitation programme may be helping an individual with their ability to find the right words, but may also be contributing to increased fatigue and less independence as a result. Some people might think that the improvement in word-finding ability outweighs the potential negative effects, and therefore may be more likely to continue with the intensive rehab. Others may think that the impact on the service user’s independence and associated effects, so they may be more likely to change the approach for therapy.

REMEMBER: Ask yourself and the client, family/carers if the risks outweigh the benefits.