BAPEN is delighted to be joining forces with the Malnutrition Task Force (MTF) once again to run UK Malnutrition Awareness Week 2023 (UKMAW2023), which will take place between 6th – 12th November. Please get involved with the campaign to increase understanding of the dangers, risk factors, and signs of malnutrition and dehydration.
Mission Statement
National Survey of Malnutrition and Nutritional Care
6th – 30th November
Calling all health care workers across all health & social care settings
As part of UK Malnutrition Awareness Week 2023, a national malnutrition screening survey will be running to help us to understand more about the prevalence of malnutrition in adults and gain insights into the nutritional care they receive.
We need as many people as possible across all health and social care settings (hospitals, care homes, mental health units, GP practices, patients’ own homes, etc.) to get involved with the survey to enable us to build an accurate picture of the state of malnutrition in the UK.
A simple form accessed via the button below will allow you to quick and easily input your data. We really need your help to make this a success so mark it in your diary, it’s a ‘MUST’!
Remember to add you email address to the form so we can share your local data with you and enter you for a potential prize. There is a £50 Amazon gift card up for grabs for the top individual screener in each country, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
If you want to capture your data on paper and transfer it to the electronic form later, please download a paper form here
Complete the survey#UKMAW2023’s focus is to Ask, Look, Listen
The campaign focus – Ask, Look, Listen – recognises that malnutrition is everyone’s business. It is easier to manage malnutrition or dehydration when it is spotted earlier, so we want everybody in health and care multidisciplinary teams to spread the importance of keeping nutritional care at the forefront of minds, and for people in the community to look out for family members, friends, neighbours, and colleagues.
So, what does ‘Ask, Look and Listen’ mean in practice?
Ask – If you know somebody who may be vulnerable because they have health problems, because they are older or perhaps because they are isolated, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are eating and drinking okay. Don’t be afraid to ask about somebody’s appetite or ability to prepare food and drink, it could make all the difference and help you stop malnutrition in its tracks.
Look – Always be on the lookout for tell-tale signs of unplanned weight loss such as looser clothing, loose belts or rings or dentures. And remember you won’t always see weight loss so keep your eyes open for other signs like empty fridges and cupboards, local shops that have closed, or reluctance to travel or leave home.
Listen – Listen carefully to what somebody is telling you about their life. It may not be about eating and drinking directly, but is it about feeling tired, feeling worried because they are unwell, feeling lonely, or losing interest in things that usually give them enjoyment? Practice active listening and think about how the way somebody is feeling generally may affect how they are able to look after themselves.
#UKMAW2023 daily themes
More information on specific ways to get involved with each of the daily themes to follow soon!
Downloadable resources:
During UKMAW2023, we want to share our messages far and wide. We encourage you to join the conversation on social media, and to that end we have developed the following materials for you to use on your own channels. Please use the hashtag #UKMAW2023 in your posts so that we can engage.
- We are supporting UKMAW2023: Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn, Instagram, Poster
- I am supporting UKMAW2023: Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn and Instagram
- Ask, Look, Listen: Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn and Instagram
- Spread the word during UKMAW2023: Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn and Instagram
- Get ready for UKMAW2023: Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn and Instagram
UKMAW was co-founded in 2018, by the Malnutrition Task Force (MTF) and the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) to raise awareness and understanding of the risks of malnutrition across different sectors and settings, in local communities and with the general public and health and social care professionals. We are delighted that the campaign continues to go from strength-to-strength since its launch in 2018.
Please contact bapen@mandfhealth.com if you require any of the downloadable resources sent via email or for any further information required.
