HC Deb 11 January 2000 vol 342 c139W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next plans to meet the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition to discuss the public health aspects of malnutrition. [100632]

Yvette Cooper

I am aware of several letters from hon. Members enclosing invitations to meet the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. I will reply to these shortly.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the level of malnutrition among hospital patients in the United Kingdom. [100630]

Yvette Cooper

The number of admissions to National Health Service hospitals in England with a diagnosis of malnutrition during the financial year 1997–98 was 6,293.

Source:

Hospital Episode Statistics.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost saving of early detection and treatment of malnutrition among hospital patients. [100631]

Yvette Cooper

In 1992 the King's Fund reported that nutritional support of malnourished patients could lead to reduced complication rates and reduced length of hospital stay. They estimated that this might lead to a saving of up to £266 million annually in Britain.

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