MEDIA INFORMATION from
BAPEN the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Registered Charity No.1023927
Issued Tuesday, 21 November 2003
Dietitians and pharmacists talents under-utilised
New study reveals consultants need not take the lead on delivering TPN
Telford, 21 November 2003 - Using dietitians and pharmacists instead of consultants to manage total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is clinically and cost-effective, according to a new study presented at the BAPEN Annual Meeting. This has changed policy at Hope Hospital, Salford where the study was conducted, under the auspices of the Department of Health's Changing Workforce programme.
In the study, a dietitian and pharmacist team made 243 clinical decisions and the majority made a significant improvement to patient care. All of the decisions were considered clinically safe by a consultant surgeon and a consultant gastroenterologist. In total, 43% were classed as safe interventions, 53% were of significant clinical benefit and 4% were classified as having a very significant impact on patient care. The decisions included calculating patients' nutritional requirements, ensuring stability, changes to electrolytes and recommending when to initiate enteral feeding.
Dr. Alastair Forbes, Chairman of BAPEN and Consultant Gastroenterologist at St Mark's Hospital said, "This study demonstrates the importance of using the abilities of the whole nutritional team. Dieticians and pharmacists have a crucial role to play."
Contact details:
For further information please contact:
Jacqui Dyson - Tel: 07713 406290 - Email: jdyson@gciuk.com
Ian McDermott - Tel: 020 7072 4344 - Email: imcdermott@gciuk.com
Notes to Editors
BAPEN is the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, a charity dedicated to advancing clinical nutrition. Their Annual Meeting is held at the Telford International Centre, November 19-20.
This release is based on the abstract 'Which member of a nutrition support team should prescribe total parenteral nutrition?' by K.M. Farrer, L. Harper, J.L. Shaffer, I.D. Anderson, N.A. Scott and G.L Carlson, Intestinal Failure Unit, Hope Hospital, Salford, Manchester, M6 8HD. This study was initiated by the NHS's Changing Workforce Programme, which aims to develop new roles and modernise ways of working within the NHS. It was conducted at Hope Hospital, Salford and reviewed the clinical decisions made by the dietician and pharmacist for a cohort of colorectal surgical patients.