Don't Go Hungry in Hospital!

19 November, 2007

Red trays, protected mealtimes, a weekly competition and the launch of a new information leaflet for patients are the result of efforts by South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Age Concern Torbay to boost nutritional standards in Torbay Hospital.

As part of a national day of action on Wednesday (November 21), representatives from Age Concern Torbay and the Trust are together launching their new leaflet 'Don't go hungry in hospital', which has been designed as part of a national Age Concern campaign to stamp out malnutrition in hospitals.

The leaflet explains that eating well in hospital means that patients are more likely to recover sooner. It advises patients, particularly older patients, to tell the ward staff if they have problems eating, so that they can get help to eat and drink when needed and be given the kind of food that suits them and boosts their nutritional intake.

Torbay Hospital has over the past two years already introduced protected mealtimes, so that patients can have their meals undisturbed by ward rounds and nursing staff can be available to give a helping hand.

The hospital has also now brought in the "red tray" system, as a practical way to alert staff which patients require assistance at mealtimes and whose food intake needs monitoring. This does not rely on patients asking for help, as the hospital's nursing staff carry out a nutritional assessment for all patients which then flags up the need for the red tray.

In addition, the hospital's catering staff, with advice from dieticians, have added nourishing options to the menus for patients who find it difficult to eat very much, such as homemade soups, full fat yoghurts (not just diabetic or low fat varieties), full fat ice creams, and the opportunity to have snacks between meals, for example homemade cakes and fruit..

Robin Causley, Director of Age Concern Torbay, said: "We are working in partnership with the Trust to ensure that older people get the food they need on hospital wards and help to eat meals. Malnutrition of older people is a top priority for us and local patients can be reassured that this partnership is keeping nutrition at the forefront of care across the hospital."

The hospital's Director of Nursing and Quality, Liz Childs, champions good nutrition for patients and, with the help of the catering staff and nutrition team, ensures that staff receive extra reminders about its importance with a month-long campaign every year.

Nationally, the Hungry to Be Heard campaign has led to a Government Action Plan to stamp out malnutrition of older people in hospital and the charity's Director General, Gordon Lishman, will chair the Board responsible for the delivery of better nutritional support for patients.

Age Concern's leaflets and resource packs have also been endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing, because getting enough of the right kind of food is important to help older people recover from illness.

Age Concern's range of new leaflets also includes one on the signs of nutrition, to assist relatives and carers of older people to be on the look-out.

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