Improving community malnutrition.

Abstract

In association with The Malnutrition Task Force (MTF) launched an initiative earlier this year to explore and tackle malnutrition in the community setting. The task force, which has been supported by the Government, to include a greater awareness of the problem of malnutrition at a strategic level, as well as the funding of five pilot projects across the country, is an attempt to acknowledge and redress the continuing growth of older people who live with malnutrition. The MTF acknowledge that 1 in 10 older people are living with malnutrition, and of this figure, 93% live within local communities (MTF, 2013). The pilot teams began their work earlier this year,which consisted of health and social care providers, and included charitable organisations, such as Age UK, and clinical commissioning groups. The pilot project areas have been exploring the concept of malnutrition in local communities and working with older people to try and understand what barriers may exist in maintaining good nutritional status in the community setting. In their exploration, the project teams have been examining the notion of seamless care, with an aim of presenting a vision for integrating services. It is clear that people living in communities that require support from health and social care providers have often felt that their care journey is fragmented, and that they are passed from so many different services. This can often result in a lack of communication and often inhibit effective people-focused care, which undoubtedly can disengage people from the services and result in lost opportunities to make a real difference to people’s lives. A simple survey from one pilot site of 205 older people demonstrated that more than 50% of participants thought losing weight in later life was normal and the barriers to eating sufficient meals were ranging from their medical conditions, isolation and lack of appetite for food (Age UK, 2014). The pilot, initially funded for 9–12 months, is due to conclude in March 2015 and it is essential that service providers reflect on the information they gather. We are all acutely aware that the financial constraints of public sector organisations will continue well into the next parliament—possibly to 2018/19, which makes it essential that all of the pilot areas attempt to measure outcomes of not only clinical, but also cost benefit. There is a real opportunity to finally attempt to make an impact in tackling community malnutrition, for so long we have repeatedly implemented initiative after initiative within the hospital sector. Many of these have failed to make a significant impact because of the decreased contact time we have with hospitalised patients before they are discharged quickly. Tackling malnutrition in the community and attempting to promote a person’s nutritional status prior to any illness or hospitalisation will offer many patients the opportunity to enhance their recovery. BJCN