Core Groups Updates

Sarah Brownlie, NNNG Communications Officer
Email: info@nnng.org.uk
Website: www.nnng.org.uk
X: @NNNGUK
Facebook Group/discussion board: NNNG (National Nurses Nutrition Group)
Linkedin: National Nurses Nutrition Group (NNNG)
Instagram: nationalnursesnutritiongroup

Conference 2025

Conference 2025 was a huge success for the NNNG with key topics, including: practicalities of blended diet, salt therapy for over-granulation, gastric pace makers and many more. We were delighted to be joined by so many nutrition professionals and we really hope you left feeling enthusiastic to implement new ideas in your practice and recognise the value/scope of the nutrition nurse role. A huge thank you to all our sponsors and delegates as the Conference wouldn’t be a success without you. As we look forward to NNNG26, please do get in touch with any ideas of topics you would like covered at the next Conference.

AGM

We held our 2025 AGM at Conference and members voted to accept a change to the NNNG constitution, this included allowing nursing associates to apply to become NNNG committee members. We highlighted a few committee members are leaving, and spaces will be available to join the committee. Please remember your membership includes access to BAPEN, Good Practice guidelines and the invaluable discussion forum.

Website update

We have now established an interactive Nutrition Team Map to aid communication between teams. There is also easy access for members to guidelines and clear educational resources. Any suggestions are always welcome. Our next goal is to create some e-learning resources.

Write for us

As always, we are looking for enthusiastic writers so if you’re thinking of something you would like to write up or a project you want to report on, please get in touch.

Education

We were excited to work with the BSNA on a new resource – 6 steps for tube care. We are also working alongside DRIPP and a variety of specialists to gain consensus on if PN administration should use a ‘gloves off’ technique.

Uchu Meade, BPNG Communications Officer
Email: bpngcomms@gmail.com
Website: www.bpng.co.uk
X: @bpnginfo
Linkedin: British Pharmaceutical Nutrition Group (BPNG)

The BPNG remains committed to advancing practice and supporting the professional development of healthcare professionals in parenteral nutrition. On 14th May 2025, we hosted our Advanced Practice in Parenteral Nutrition study day at the Priory Meeting Rooms, Birmingham. The event was well attended and received excellent feedback, particularly for the interactive afternoon workshops. These focused on an introduction to clinical assessment skills, supporting pharmacists in developing practical assessment techniques to enhance clinical decision-making and person-centred care.

Our 2025 BPNG Webinar Series continued on 9th July with a session titled: ‘The Green Prescription – Where Patient Care Meets Planetary Health’ (13:00–14:00 BST), followed by the Annual Members’ General Meeting (14:00–15:00). Chaired by Priya Mistry (Consultant Pharmacist, University Hospital Southampton), this session explored sustainable practice in parenteral nutrition. Speakers included Laura Morgan (King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust), who shared real-world initiatives such as greener aseptic practices and gas waste reduction, and Riddhika Joshi (St Mark’s Hospital), who brought expertise in intestinal failure and sustainability in nutritional care. The session aimed to highlight practical, environmentally conscious strategies that integrate seamlessly into clinical workflows.

The BPNG continues work on several national projects, including the development of IV monographs for the safe administration of vitamin and trace element products. These will be incorporated into the Medusa Injectable Medicines Guide, providing trusted national reference material to standardise and improve patient safety across the NHS. Submissions for the BPNG BAPEN Conference Abstract Prize are now closed, with the winner to be announced shortly.

Looking ahead, our next face-to-face event will be Fundamentals in Parenteral Nutrition, taking place on Wednesday 15th October 2025 at the Priory Rooms, Birmingham. Registration details will be available soon on our website: www.bpng.co.uk.

Linda Cantwell, PENG Chair
Email: peng@bda.uk.com
Website: www.peng.org.uk
LinkedIn: Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Group (PENG)
Instagram: @BDA_PENG

Future events

The Annual PENG study day takes place on Thursday 2nd October in Manchester.
The study day will include a collaboration with the BDA Gastroenterology Group. It will include a dynamic programme on cutting edge topics including, C. Dif. and the role of the dietitian, protein requirements in enteral feeding, enteral feeding in the liver patient, trophic feeding and much more. Please see the BDA events page for further details.

Recent events

Navigating Nutrition in Complex GI: Care: Current Practice, Research & Case Discussion – An online afternoon webinar.
This event reached over 500 registrants and topics covered included those outlined below. A recording of the webinar will be available for PENG members via our website and available for non-members to purchase shortly through the BDA shop.

• Managing the use of artificial nutrition in refractory Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) with associated gastrointestinal and nutritional complications
• Dietary management of gastroparesis: Insights from research to practice
• A case study on gastroparesis following guideline management
• Graded food exposure as an alternative to medical nutrition therapies
• The nuances of idiopathic gastroparesis: Considering gastroparesis as a sensorimotor condition.

PENG chaired the latest BAPEN Connect Clinical Nutrition Webinar: Ethics & Nutrition.
Delivered by Celia Kitzinger, it explored the ethical and legal responsibilities of all health professionals when starting, stopping and continuing clinical assistant nutrition and hydration in those that that lack the mental capacity. Celia is also the co-founder of the Open Justice Court of Project, which support transparent access to observe the Court of Protection in action. Visit BAPEN connect in your members area to catch up.

Research, audit, service improvement and innovations

PENG are supporting several projects at present, please get involved if you can!

• Blended Diets: To support the update and review of the Blended Diet Practice Toolkit: Complete the questionnaire
• Jejunostomy tubes: A UK wide initiative lobbying for suitable and licensed jejunostomy feeding tubes: Office.com
• Research in Dietetic workforce diversity – Causes and consequences of workforce homogeneity: using mixed methodology to develop a theory of change for UK dietitians.
• Ongoing Insights; into the Adult Home Enteral Feeding (HEF) Population across the UK – This survey will launch during PINNT awareness week in August. Please look out for your opportunity to contribute!

BDA research symposium bursaries

Closing date for abstracts to the BDA Research Symposium is fast approaching 5th August. PENG has up to 10x £120 bursaries available for approved abstract.

National campaigns

There are currently national issues with disruptions and shortages with enteral feeding supplies. A significant amount of this is being felt within the Nutricia, Nutrison range of enteral feeds. PENG have collaborated with other BDA specialist groups, BDA executive officer Liz Stockley and BAPEN to raise these issues with NHS England, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and industry. We have underlined the impact and risks experienced in service delivery, staff morale, patient care and quality of life. We have developed a webpage with information and advice on how to highlight and escalate concerns.