Government publishes Nutrition Action Plan

The health minister Ivan Lewis has announced the release of the government’s Nutrition Action Plan which is designed to help tackle malnutrition in older people in hospitals and care homes.

In conjunction with over 25 stakeholders, the first ever national plan outlines a wide range of actions to ensure that health and social care staff are well informed and equipped to provide good nutrition.

Priorities highlighted by Mr Lewis include the need to raise awareness of the link between nutrition and good health as well as ensuring that accessible guidance is available across all sectors.

The action plan also encourages national screening for all people using health and social care services.

Mr Lewis illustrated how many old people were receiving poor food and not being provided with support to eat and drink properly.

However he confirmed that this practice would not be tolerated and that all hospitals and care homes should recognise their responsibility to ensure older people had a choice of good food and the assistance they needed.

“Today’s action plan is unprecedented and makes it clear that nutrition is about dignity but also central to older people’s good health and ability to recover from illness,” he concluded.

Earlier this month, the Department of Health launched its Keep Warm Keep Well campaign to encourage older people to prepare for the colder climate.