Global campaign promotes nutrition and hydration as a 'fundamental aspect of care'

Nutrition and Hydration Week 2014 organisers are encouraging health and social care settings to get involved in raising awareness and demonstrating good practice, with the previously nationwide campaign going global this year.

Many service providers all over the UK, and as far away as India and Canada, have already signed up, planning a wide range of activities that show how good eating and drinking habits can impact on an individual’s life.

Taking place from 17–23 March, some examples include a war-themed afternoon tea party at Nightingale Care Home, in Ecclesfield, a food tasting day at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, and a tea dance at Rimbley Care Home in Calgary, Canada.

Patient safety lead for NHS England, Caroline Lecko, is delighted with the success, saying: “The amount of support for Nutrition and Hydration Week 2014 has been truly amazing. With less than a month to go, more and more individuals and organisations are pledging their support and planning activities for the week.

“Our aim has been to create a global movement to raise awareness of the importance of nutrition and hydration as a fundamental aspect of care and a key element of any organisation’s ambition to improve patient safety.

“The 2014 Week is a call to action to improve nutrition and hydration for the people that we provide care for regardless of the setting, organisation, region or country. It is very much about everyone recognising that they make a contribution to improving the health and well-being of people in our care and it is wonderful to see healthcare teams working together across the world to make a real difference.”

Hospital Caterer’s Association (HCA) chair Andy Jones sees going global as testament to the importance of sound diet planning in healthcare settings, saying: “The international support for the Week shows that good nutrition and hydration is a global issue that presents the same challenges for providers in all countries.

“One of the key messages in terms of patient feeding is the need to recognise the subtle but critical difference between ‘eating for good health’, rather than ‘healthy eating’. With under-nutrition and dehydration leading to increased hospital stays and readmission rates, our focus must be on embedding the concept of nutrition and hydration as a key part of a patient’s recovery plan. The NHS Trusts’ support for the Week is an encouraging sign of attitudes changing and progress being made.”

Neel Radia, chair of the National Association of Care Catering (NACC), adds: “Nutrition & Hydration Week is shaping up to be an incredible week that will focus attention and efforts on the importance of good nutrition and hydration – a message that is relevant across the globe. By coming together in the spirit of education and sharing best practice and ideas we can create a long-term legacy that will ensure those entrusted to our care always receive the correct nutrition and hydration.”