Hospitals still not tackling malnutrition

Despite heightened public awareness and a commitment from the Government to tackle the problem, 43% of NHS Trusts have not introduced protected mealtimes, according to monitoring undertaken by the charity. As part of its Hungry to be heard campaign the charity also found that one in three NHS Trusts are still to introduce red-tray systems. They said in a statement that given the effectiveness of volunteers in helping out with mealtimes, evidence from the campaign that eight of ten NHS Trusts have not rolled out volunteer schemes is also disappointing. The campaign calls for older peoples' mealtimes to be "protected" from non-urgent activity like ward rounds and routine tests, so patients are free to eat without interruptions. It also calls for red-tray systems to be introduced to help to identify those that need assistance and ensure nursing staff give patients the attention they need to eat. Patrick South, Head of Public Affairs for Age Concern, said: "Tackling malnutrition should be a top priority for all NHS trusts, yet our evidence shows unacceptable inconsistencies across the country. It's shocking that many older people still find themselves trapped within a 'postcode lottery of commitment' to improve nutritional standards on hospital wards. "For older people, missed meals in hospital can be as big a risk to safety as missing medication. The NHS Constitution and the new Care Quality Commission must ensure that nutrition is prioritised alongside other issues affecting the safety and treatment of patients." The charity wants the NHS Constitution and the new health and social care regulator, the Care Quality Commission, to make nutrition a top priority for the NHS. To find out more about Age Concern's Hungry to be Heard campaign, please visit: www.ageconcern.org.uk/hungrytobeheard