Charity launches e-petition to ensure care homes deliver good nutrition and hydration care

The Nutrition and Hydration Action Alliance has launched an e-petition in a bid to get the Government to develop a national nutrition and hydration strategy.

The Alliance also wants a national clinical director for malnutrition to be appointed to lead this work for the NHS.

Dr Mike Stroud, chair of the alliance said: “The time for talking about policy change is over. We need a Government minister to take responsibility for this area so vital to the health and well-being of the most vulnerable in care homes, the community and hospitals and all MPs to take up the challenge in their own constituencies and ensure every hospital, care home, GP practice and community care provider is delivering the right nutrition & hydration care for every adult and child, every day and everywhere.”

The petition needs 100,000 signatures to force a debate on the issue in the House of Commons.

Dr Stroud added: "Malnutrition and dehydration are both a cause and consequence of illness costing the NHS £billions annually. Nevertheless, standards of relevant care in hospital and social settings are frequently poor.

"The government needs to take priority action to identify and treat malnutrition and dehydration wherever possible, action which must go beyond Andrew Lansley’s public commitment to deliver better nutritional care in hospitals."

The petition therefore calls for:

• A Government minister to take personal responsibility for this area

• The Department of Health to appoint a national clinical director for nutrition and hydration to lead quality improvement and develop a national malnutrition strategy

• Public Health England to focus on malnutrition in an early awareness campaign

• The Department of Health to make training in nutritional care a key objective for the new Health Education England Board

• The National Commissioning Board to develop clear outcome measures to monitor prevalence of these problems and quality of care

The petition will close on 28 November 2012.

For the e-petition go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/34303