Malnutrition and dehydration

Malnutrition and dehydration among the adult population is a serious issue. It affects the health and wellbeing of a large number of people and has a significant associated cost. Public Health England issued the following guidance highlighting the issues. Commissioning Excellent Nutrition and Hydration 2015-2018.

Recognising this problem, Dorset created a partnership between Dorset HealthCare, Dorset Council, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, Public Health Dorset, Tricuro and Dorset CCG. Working together, the partnership looked at available evidence and best practice and developed the Pan Dorset Malnutrition Programme to address the problems.

 

Pan Dorset Malnutrition Programme

Malnutrition is preventable through early intervention and The Malnutrition Programme is a fantastic example of joint working across the health and social care partners (Dorset Health Care, Dorset Council, BCP Council, Tricuro and the CCG.) The Malnutrition Programme, overview, objectives and outcomes

Due to the high levels of malnutrition within the community The Malnutrition Programme was developed  for all those clients/ patients who live at home (not Care Homes or Hospitals). It consists of all front line staff screening for malnutrition, inputting the data into a 'MUST’ / Nutritional Screening Electronic Form and following agreed care pathways. These Care Pathways ensure the sharing of data and if completed correctly no patient/client can slip through the net and not cared for appropriately.  Guidance notes for completing the ‘MUST’ / Nutritional Screening Electronic Form

Any user of the electronic form can also create new users, amend incorrect forms and run reports. Guidance notes for Administration of the ‘MUST’ / Nutritional Screening Electronic Form

The role of the Health and Social Care Co-ordinators is pivotal to the Care Pathways HSCC Flowchart

Resources for following the Malnutrition Programme Care Pathways

The Wessex AHSN has put together a 18-minute video on how to screen for malnutrition (undernutrition) using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (‘MUST’). This version is specifically for staff working in Dorset as part of the Pan Dorset Malnutrition Programme.

The BAPEN charts for the calculation of “MUST”.

 

Physical Health