§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are aware of the article by J. E. Lennard-Jones, H. Arrowsmith, C. Davison and A. F. Denham on screening for malnutrition (Clinical Nutrition, (1995) 14.336–40), and whether they will improve screening procedures for malnutrition in response to it.
10WA
§ Baroness CumberlegeThe Government are aware of the article and the conclusions it reaches. Local National Health Service trust managers, together with relevant medical and nursing staff, are responsible for ensuring that appropriate procedures and protocols are in place for patients entering hospital. A number of initiatives have been taken to raise awareness of the importance of nutrition among professional and other groups involved with patient care.
In October 1994, the Nutrition Task Force produced Nutrition, a Core Curriculum for Nutrition in the Education of Health Professionals. It offers guidance to those involved with the education and training of all health professionals and indicates the importance of training in the assessment of nutritional intake and status.
In August 1995, the Nutrition Task Force produced Nutrition Guidelines for Hospital Catering, which recommends that all patients should be weighed on admission to hospital, and that a nutritional risk assessment programme should be incorporated as part of the normal admission process, in liaison with nursing, medical and dietetic staff.
In November 1995, the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, in collaboration with the Department of Health, published a discussion document, Nutrition for Life. The document is aimed at all those involved in the education of nurses, midwives and health visitors. It builds upon the core curriculum of the Nutrition Task Force and stresses the importance of training in nutritional assessments.
Copies of the document referred to will be placed in the Library.