Core Groups Updates

Carolyn Wheatley, PINNT Chair

Email: comms@pinnt.com

Website: http://pinnt.com

Facebook: PINNTcharity

Twitter: @pinntcharity

PINNT reveal survey results looking at the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals on home artificial nutrition (HAN).

Acknowledging patient concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and the likelihood of further waves of the virus, PINNT sought to gain clearer insight into the situation. We designed a series of surveys to learn and better prepare the healthcare system to safeguard the home artificial nutrition community.

We are delighted to share with In Touch readers a direct link to the recently published results of our survey – ‘The Impact of Shielding & Lockdown on the Personal Wellbeing of People on Home Artificial Nutrition: Findings of a survey on individual guidance, information access & principle areas of concern’.

For further information on PINNT and membership visit: bit.ly/2EuFDsG

Contact us via: comms@pinnt.com

Kate Hall, PENG Chair

Email: communications.peng@bda.uk.com

Website: www.peng.org.uk

Twitter: @PENGDT

We held our PENG AGM in October just before our first webinar which was open to all dietitians to register for, working with other specialist groups of the BDA to bring the topic of prescribing to life and what this means for dietitians whether working in an acute or community setting. A summary of this will be in the next PENG newsletter.

The PENG AGM gave us, as a committee, a chance to share what has been happening within PENG and what is in the plans moving forward. We also welcomed some new members to the committee but at the end of this year will say a fond farewell to Jacklyn Jones who is stepping down from the Research and Audit committee role – a big thank you for her support and guidance as this was a new role for the committee, but we will continue to work with through the PENG Clinical Update Course. We are, however, still recruiting for the committee and if you would like to find out more about the PENG committee and how to get involved please do get in touch as we have a couple of committee posts such as treasurer, Chair and vice chair that we are still recruiting for, but there is a lot of support if you are at all interested in joining the committee.

The PENG Award 2020 is now be closed for applications, but we hope to be able to inform the lucky winners in due course.

This month, December, we will be supporting the virtual BDA Research Symposium through a PENG nutrition support stream, but we will be in a position to share more around this in the coming weeks.

As a committee we continue to connect every month to ensure we are supporting fellow dietitians who are working in nutrition support in the right way, especially in these rather concerning and uncertain times, as it is important to all work together and support each other.

Georgie Adams, NNNG Communications Officer

Email: nationalnursesnutritiongroup@gmail.com

Website: www.nnng.org.uk

Twitter: @NNNGUK

As we make our way through the last quarter of 2020. We look back and consider lessons learnt with both good and bad experiences. Little did we know what a memorable year 2020 would be for Nutrition Support and Nursing.

Nursing continues to stand tall, meeting the many demands of a global pandemic, winter pressures and those of personal and professional challenge. We may have country and regional differences representative of the Government’s COVID-19 restrictions tier system, and with it healthcare diversity, but, we have nutrition Support teams all of whom remain as visible and collective as ever.

You only have to look at the National Strategy delivered by the Malnutrition Task Force (MTF), a true example of collegial collaboration at its best. The NNNG are grateful to the MTF and BAPEN placing malnutrition at the fore front of our minds. None more so, when managing complex cohorts; minimising in-patient stays, providing hospital avoidance with clinical optimisation. A timely reminder, over the winter months.

The NNNG Committee remain active as ever. Attending monthly virtual meetings and with it the many obstacles and technical glitches faced!

A summary of our achievements to date:

• NNNG Nutrition Week – 2-6 November 2020 – A week of evening webinars chaired by the NNNG committee providing members and health professionals with FREE CPD and on demand sessions covering those discrete and often difficult subjects. We are grateful to our sponsors MA and those who attended – far exceeding our expectations, while attracting new members to join the vision and voice of nutrition nursing in the UK.
  
  If you have not had a chance to view, you can enjoy ON DEMAND via the NNNG website. Topics include:
• NG tubes & aerosol generating procedures
• Older age & nutrition
• Obesity & COVID
• Critical care/COVID & nutrition
• Patients on long-term nutrition support – PINNT.

• Upgraded our administration functions: We are now banking with SAGE-PAY. We have employed a secretariat allowing us to update our website, respond to emails and support committee/member activities in a timely and responsive way.
• New Work Streams have been added and include:
• PINNT Enteral Safety Poster (similar to that of the HPN Safety Poster)
• Participation in the Malnutrition Task Force – Hydration Group
• Align our common purpose with that of The British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (BSPGHAN) Group. Promoting and providing transferable clinical learning and development. Our joint aim to develop adolescent transition pathways.
• As with the remainder of the Nutrition community we were unable to provide a face-to-face conference. We missed the opportunity for supporting our industry partners; providing a platform of innovation and good practice. As a committee, we have joined with two industry partners, providing webinar platforms in December 2020. OPEN to NNNG members and health professionals. Look out for these – On Our Website and those of our industry partners. On our website.
• Finally, the NNNG website is currently undergoing a revamp and as I write, the design team are testing its platform in preparation for launch. The revised website will new and updated pages and media. Fresh NEW logos – demonstrate OUR voice and vision for 2020!

Be part of an ever increasing and innovative community. Stay safe, stay well and continue to voice and embrace the many challenges and changes faced – not easy we know. Made far easier, of course, when working within a supportive MDT.