Guidelines for oral nutrition support - East Cheshire NHS Trust

3.1 Medical Staff are responsible for: Encouraging an awareness of the benefits of appropriate nutritional managementand treatment before, during and after hospital admission. Considering oral nutritional supplements as part of the appropriate nutritionalmanagement to prevent or treat malnutrition.Ensuring that oral nutritional supplements are correctly prescribed and monitored aspart of the patient’s nutritional care plans during admission and on discharge.3.2 Dietitians are responsible for:Assessing each patient’s nutritional requirements and making any recommendationsfor use of oral nutritional supplements as part of his/her nutritional care plan.Writing any recommended prescribable oral nutrition supplements on inpatient drugcharts, according to the procedure agreed with the Medicines Management Group.Requesting that the patient’s general practitioner prescribes any recommended oralnutritional supplements for patients discharged into the community, as part of theiron-going nutritional care plan, with guidance as to time span and review frequency.Ensuring appropriate nutritional, anthropometric and clinical monitoring of the patientin hospital and in the community if required. Delivering education and training programmes for staff relating to the use of oralnutritional supplements in patient care.3.3 Matrons and Ward Managers are responsible for ensuring that: Patients are screened for the risk of malnutrition using the Malnutrition UniversalScreening Tool (MUST) on admission and weekly thereafter.Nursing staff refer patients identified at risk of malnutrition (MUST score of 2 or more)to the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.Ordering, stock control and storage of oral nutritional supplements is satisfactory.Ward staff are appropriately trained in the use of oral nutritional supplements.Prescribable oral nutrition supplements are correctly given.3.4 Ward Pharmacists are responsible for:Ensuring that prescribable oral nutritional supplements are correctly prescribed andthat any drug/nutrient interactions are identified.3.5 The Catering and Supplies Departments are responsible forProviding menus with a variety of choices at each mealtime, to include High Energy.Providing appropriate high calorie snacks.Using oral nutritional supplements to fortify meals as directed by the Department ofNutrition and Dietetics.Co-ordinating the ordering and supply of oral nutritional supplements from contractedsuppliers and/or wholesalers in a cost-effective and timely manner.3.6 Speech & Language Therapists are responsible for:Providing guidance to ward staff regarding thickening of oral nutritional supplementsto the recommended consistency for patients who have swallowing problems.CNSG 003 East Cheshire NHS Trust Guidelines for Oral Nutrition Support in Adults Page 5 of 17