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Michelle Mitchell‚ Age Concern’s Director of Communications‚ said:

“The launch of this Action Plan is an important step towards ending the scandal of malnutrition in hospitals. Fourteen months after the launch of our Hungry to be Heard campaign‚ the Department of Health is finally taking clear action.¹

“It is crucial that every ward in every hospital now puts this plan into practice - there should be no excuse for people not getting the food or the help they need. Malnutrition costs the UK more than £7.3 billion per year² - far more than obesity - and malnourished patients stay in hospital for longer‚ are three times as likely to develop complications during surgery and have a higher mortality rate.

“If the Government’s Action Plan is going to work‚ there needs to be systematic monitoring of malnutrition in older patients throughout their hospital stay. From the ward to the board‚ everyone should take responsibility for ending the malnutrition of older people in hospital and ensuring that effective systems are in place.”

Notes to Editors

¹  Age Concern launched its Hungry to be Heard campaign August 2006 and has been inundated with heartbreaking stories of older patients being denied basic care and help with food. The charity is calling on all hospitals to adopt seven steps to end this scandal:

1. Hospital staff must listen to older people‚ and their relatives and carers
2. All ward staff must become ‘food aware’
3. Hospital staff must follow their own professional codes and guidance from other bodies
4. Older people must be assessed for the signs or danger of malnourishment on admission and at regular intervals during their stay
5. Introduce ‘protected mealtimes’
6. Implement a ‘red tray system’ and ensure that it works in practice
7. Use volunteers where appropriate 

 

²  UK costs. The Cost of Disease related Malnutrition in the UK‚ British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition‚2006

• Gordon Lishman‚ Age Concern’s Director General‚ has been appointed Chair of the Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board. Please direct any media enquiries about his appointment as Chair to Rachel Carr at the DoH press office – 020 7210 5315.
• Age Concern is the largest organisation in the UK working for older people.  Everyday we are in touch with thousands of older people‚ enabling them to make more of life. Our services include information and advice‚ befriending‚ day centres‚ lunch clubs‚ transport services‚ home visits‚ and advocacy services. More information can be found on our website.