Patient experience and discharge - why is nutrition not integral to this key part of the recovery phase? Download a report from Nutricia.

Many clinical, emotional and cultural reasons have been identified as contributing to the current serious situation whereby around three million people in the UK are suffering from, or are at risk from, malnutrition.

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However, there still appears to be a gap between policy and practice, judging both by information from patients and carers and the continuing prevalence of people suffering malnutrition.

Download the Managing Adult Malnutrition in the Community Report

The Patients Association carried out a survey of patients and a freedom of information request to acute trust providers during 2015 to better understand what happens upon discharge. The findings and 20 recommendations appear in a new report, Managing Adult Malnutrition in the Community.

This report looks at what happens during the discharge process - which is a key part of the recovery phase - and recommendations for improvement.

Key findings indicate that patients and families/carers are not always receiving the guidance or care they require in terms of nutrition and hydration and staff need better training and awareness about the need for this particularly GPs.

Nutrition is integral to health and well-being and therefore there is a need for an integrated approach to care which includes nutrition, which is seamless, patient centred and well communicated - thus improving the patient and carer experience and clinical outcomes as a result. The importance of which is also reflected in the new NHS England guidance: Commissioning Excellent Nutrition and Hydration.

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