Specialist nurses appointed to improve patient nutrition

The appointments follow existing initiatives to ensure patients receive adequate nutrition while in the trust’s ten hospitals.

The trust has previously set up a Nutrition Steering Committee which developed a Nutrition Policy. This included ensuring patients get their food without interruption.

Through close liaisons with hospital dieticians, these nurses ensure patients get sufficient nutrition during their stay in hospital, according to the trust.

Madeline Lee, newly-appointed lead nutrition nurse at the trust, said: ‘This is a significant step to ensure that all of our patients receive good nutritional care and adequate hydration.

‘Our aim is to have nutrition viewed as being as equally important to a patient as receiving their medication,’ she added.

The trust, which is working with Age Concern Northumberland, has also recruited volunteers to work at Wansbeck General Hospital to assist patients to eat their food.

• Related article on nursingtimes.net: Calls to monitor nutritional risk

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