Page 1 | date Improving Nutritional Care Debbie Dzik-Jurasz Assistant Director of Nursing Whipps Cross University NHS Trust
Page 2 | date The aims of this presentation To provide a brief overview of our hospital To provide a brief overview of our key issues in relation to food and nutrition To provide an overview of what we are doing to try to improve peoples experience of food and nutrition
Page 3 | date Our Trust Busy Local Hospital Our Averages A&E attendances per day Emergency admissions 91 per day Elective admissions 22 per day Operations per day 124 maternity deliveries 12 Our key objectives To deliver improved clinical outcomes To improve patient safety To deliver an improved patient experience To deliver waiting time targets and improved access to services To achieve sustainable financial health
Page 4 | date Food and Nutrition is essential Food for Thought… Up to 40 per cent of all patients admitted to hospital are undernourished This percentage increases once patients have been in hospital for 1 week Malnutrition often goes unrecognised and untreated Leading to prolonged hospital stays, worse outcomes and increased healthcare costs
Page 5 | date Peoples Experience of Eating and Drinking at Whipps Cross From our patient survey 2010 Generally Poor Limited Choice Cultural Diets and Special Diets People who need help eating and drinking didn’t always get it This information was supported by our monthly patient safety walkabouts
Page 6 | date Our projects and aims Our aim ultimately is to ensure that people in our care Get food in their mouths So that they: do not lose weight Do not become dehydrated whilst in our care
Page 7 | date What can we do Ensure people were identified of being at risk of malnutrition Implement the ‘red tray’ system Ensure people do not become dehydrated To review our menus and patient choice To continuously evaluate our services
Page 8 | date Reducing Dehydration Water is important Water is essential to health, and is one of six basic nutrients for life, but is often overlooked Medical evidence shows that good hydration can assist in the management and prevent of many medical conditions The provision of drinking water can reduce the risk or potential of harm to people
Page 9 | date Red Beakers Identifying people who might be at risk of becoming malnourished All health care practitioners and all visitors asked to ensure they offer the people that they are going to see a drink Making a difference to staff and patients and their families
Page 10 | date The future We need to continue to work collaboratively to improve peoples experience of food and nutrition and ensure people do not become dehydrated or loose weight All of us have a role to play in this