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 19 July 2008 08:17 BST

Old people 'still going hungry in hospital'

Wednesday, 29 Aug 2007 00:01
Some patients are not being fed appropriately, Age Concern says

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Many old people are still going hungry in hospital despite a year-long campaign to improve patients' nutrition, Age Concern has warned.

Last year the campaign group launched the Hungry to be Heard campaign after a report found that six out of ten older people are at risk of becoming malnourished, or their situation getting worse, in hospital.

Seven steps were set out for the Department of Health, NHS and Healthcare Commission to help improve the situation.

In the past 12 months care services minister Ivan Lewis has held two summit meetings with key stakeholders and has made a commitment to launch an action plan on nutritional care in October 2007.

Although a number of improvements have been made since then, Age Concern said that take-up of their seven steps has been patchy and some old people are still not being fed appropriately.

The Healthcare Commission found from recent inspections that "deep-rooted attitudes to ageing" often impact on patient care.

Age Concern director general Gordon Lishman said the NHS has made a "good start" but "there is still much more to be done".

"We welcome the commitment by ministers, hospitals and health professionals to improve the situation, but we need to see this translated into every ward in every hospital," he added.

The group is now campaigning to ensure that more hospitals make improvements to older people's meals in the coming year.

Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, added: "Delivery of quality care to patients is the number one priority of nurses and NHS staff should be at the forefront of tackling malnutrition.

"However, to ensure that good patient nutrition happens, it needs to be a priority for everybody in the system from the chief executives through to catering staff."
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