What’s New Quest for Quality


in Care Homes Reported by RHONDA SMITH


British Geriatrics Society releases new report and recommendations.


The British Geriatrics Society (BGS) has produced a new report highlighting the fact that many vulnerable older people resident in care homes are frequently denied access to routine NHS healthcare because they live in care homes. The BGS inquiry found that many cannot get access to GPs, therapy services, out of hours services or specialist dementia services such as memory clinics. The BGS Report Quest for Quality calls for national action by the four UK health departments and local action by NHS commissioners, planners and clinical services to improve the quality of NHS support to care homes. The recommendations are supported by a broad coalition of 25 organisations that call for joint professional leadership from the health, social, and care home sectors, statutory regulators and patient advocacy groups to find the solutions that none can achieve alone. The Report identifies four areas for action:


1. A health service suitable for the specific needs of care homes residents who often have complex healthcare needs, reflecting multiple long-term conditions, significant disability and frailty.


2. Residents and their relatives must be at the centre of decisions about their care.


3. A multi-disciplinary approach involving participation and expertise of all necessary health professionals from primary and secondary care.


4. A partnership approach with care homes and social care professionals with a view to integrated working between the local NHS and local authorities.


Dr Finbarr Martin, Consultant Physician at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital and BGS President and who led the collaboration producing this report, said: “In many places NHS provides excellent healthcare to care homes and examples are mentioned in our report. This may be the exception rather than the norm and the reasons for this are complex. They include a combination of historical factors and that healthcare support to care homes has been a low priority for commissioners and planners. No one professional group or sector can be blamed and the challenge now is to change things for the better.” BAPEN supports the Report and the core recommendations and looks forward to working in the detailed work group on the topic of nutrition and hydration.


Full information is available at: www.bgs.org.uk 2012: An Olympic BAPEN?


18th - 20th June 2012 SIMON GABE - BAPEN Treasurer


2012 will be a fantastic year in this country for all sorts of reasons. Obviously the Olympics will be very exciting but, before the Olympics begin we will be holding a very different sort of BAPEN.


Normally BAPEN is held in October or November, but in 2012 it will be held from 18th – 20th June. The reason for this is that key organisations in the UK with an interest in the digestive tract will be holding their annual conference at the same time. This includes the BSG (British Society of Gastroenterology), BASL (British Association for the Study of Liver), AUGIS (Association of Upper GI Surgeons) and BAPEN. Many other organisations and societies interested in the digestive tract are also contributing to this digestive conference.


BAPEN will be a key player here and it enables nutritional issues to be raised onto a different platform. It also allows BAPEN members to go to the other meetings at the same time. This convergence of conferences under one umbrella is called the Digestive Disease Federation (DDF) and will be held at the new ACC Convention Centre in Liverpool. I know it is early but please make a note in your diary for 18th – 20th June 2012 as this conference will be making headlines, and you can be part of it!


Meals and Messages Reported by RHONDA SMITH


Food Services for Older People North of the Border.


Scotland’s national consumer policy watchdog is calling on the Scottish Government and local authorities to recognise that access to food services is a vital component for older people being able to remain in their own homes. Research carried out for Consumer Focus Scotland and Community Food and Health (Scotland), shows vulnerable older people living in their own homes are entirely dependent on where they live as to whether they have access to fresh or frozen meals, lunch clubs or assistance with shopping and food preparation. Researchers discovered that some local authorities found it difficult to give precise details about their food services, how many people were using them or, indeed, the costs of providing services in their area. In their joint report Meals and Messages, launched at a conference in Edinburgh, Consumer Focus Scotland and Community Food and Health (Scotland) say it is time for the Scottish Government and Scotland’s local authorities to work more closely with older people themselves to agree the range of services that should be available to everyone – no matter where they live. Rhonda Smith of BAPEN was invited to speak at the launch Conference and presented data on the impact of malnutrition (under-nutrition) on the health and wellbeing of older people in particular. Conference delegates from local authorities, voluntary groups and charities, such as WRVS, welcomed the data which they will use to good effect in bolstering their business cases


for continued funding of the essential food services they provide.


The independent research by ODS Consultants was commissioned by Consumer Focus Scotland and Community Food and Health (Scotland) (CFHS) which supports initiatives in low-income communities to help people achieve a healthy diet. National Project Officer for CFHS, Bill Gray, says the research highlighted that community and voluntary organisations play an important role in supplementing what is offered by local councils: “What was clear from the research is that there is a huge amount of work going on in local communities to support older people to eat well. There are shopping services, lunch clubs, community cafes, all of which rely on an army of volunteers – often older people themselves – to keep them running. “Voluntary and community organisations are


providing a lifeline but they are also often operating on a financial knife edge. The costs involved are not huge but long-term funding is rarely secure for such groups to be sure they can continue to deliver excellent service. The report recommends that the Scottish Government ensures higher priority is given to sustaining and developing the work of these service providers.” Further information at:


www.consumerfocus.org.uk/scotland/news/food -the-missing-ingredient-from-policy-on-care- for-scotland%E2%80%99s-older-people


BAPEN Membership Renewal Made Simpler To make renewing your BAPEN Membership straight forward, you can now renew your BAPEN Membership by direct debit. To download the direct debit mandate visit: http://www.bapen.org.uk/join.html


3 BAPEN In Touch No.62 August 2011


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16