AHSN's work highlighted in national Public Health England report

Two of the projects from  Wessex AHSN’s Nutrition in Older People programme are highlighted in a new Public Health Report - Helping older people maintain a healthy diet: a review of what works -   as examples of emerging promising practice.

This demonstrates the important work of this programme in championing work in this important area.  You can read the report here.

Evidence suggests that malnutrition causes significant and long-lasting health conditions. In an ageing society, where the cost of long-term care is increasingly unaffordable, we need to ensure that older people age well. Being malnourished increases the risk of frailty and is therefore detrimental. Identifying and treating malnutrition is an important prevention programme which will, in the long term, reduce the need for both health and social care.  It has been estimated that the greater use of healthcare because of malnutrition results in 65% more GP visits, 82% more hospital admissions, and 30% longer hospital stay.

This Public Health England review of evidence aims to consider ‘what works’ in supporting older people to maintain a healthy diet and reduce the risk of malnutrition in a community setting. It is intended for anyone working on older people’s health, particularly those working on nutrition and those supporting older people in daily living. It reviews the relevant national standards, such as nutritional and catering standards, relevant NICE standards and guidance, national and international evidence (in English language, in the past 10 years).

Finally, it looks at promising practice from England, to see what others are doing and the impact their work is having. For the purposes of this study older people are defined as being aged 65 or over. The study was initiated to support one local authority, Buckinghamshire County Council, with its work on malnutrition and older people.

Read more about the AHSN’s Nutrition in Older People programme here, or to find out more email nutrition@wessexahsn.net