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Issued: 12 October 2009
BAPEN responds to Media Information issued: ‘The Other End of the Scales?”
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BAPEN is pleased that 4 out of 5 people surveyed realise that malnutrition is a problem in the UK
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BAPEN is not surprised that the public are unclear about which groups are most ‘at risk’ from the impact of malnutrition
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BAPEN is not surprised that 97 out of 100 GPs surveyed are not screening for malnutrition but pleased that 9 out of 10 said that the UK does not give the issue enough attention
Dr Mike Stroud, Chair of BAPEN responds from BAPEN Conference (Cardiff 13/14 October 2009):
“BAPEN has played a significant role in partnership with other agencies to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of malnutrition. It is heartening that 80% of the 2,240 adults surveyed said they are aware of malnutrition in the UK, but clearly more needs to be done.
Malnutrition is common and affects people of all ages but is not always easy to spot. Overweight and obese individuals can also be clinically malnourished.
The public can play an important role in combating malnutrition by insisting that screening for malnutrition is carried out on admission to all care settings and that information on on-going nutritional needs are made clear at discharge from hospital or on transfer between care settings.
BAPEN has called for nutritional information to be included in all communications on discharge in all of its recent Reports.”
With regard to the results from the GPs surveyed, Dr Stroud adds:
“BAPEN is fully aware that GPs are not screening for malnutrition although this practice is embedded in NICE Guidelines on nutrition support for adults.
By ensuring the use of BAPEN’s ‘MUST’ screening tool in everyday surgery practice, GPs could spot when someone is at risk of malnutrition and instigate an appropriate plan to reduce the risk of further complications. However, it is also vital that GPs receive information in a systematic way on nutritional status when a patient returns to the community after a spell in hospital.
Perhaps more GPs are beginning to wake up to the importance of addressing malnutrition but currently there are neither policy nor practice drivers in place to force through that change. In these straightened times and with malnutrition costing our health and care systems an estimated £13 billion a year, perhaps the time has come to ensure primary care is playing its full part in combating malnutrition.”
Media enquiries: Rhonda Smith Minerva 07887-714957 info@minervaprc.com
Dr Mike Stroud is available for interview.