BAPEN Conference Home Nation Updates


Delegates then received an update on the changes, achievements and challenges in nutritional care facing each of the Home Nations. Ailsa Brotherton, National QIPP Safe Care Programme Director, provided the update for England using a ‘silent’ power-point ‘Malnutrition in England – an ongoing problem’, to powerfully illustrate the impact of malnutrition on patients lives and ended with a ‘Call to Action’ to delegates to use the template to tailor the powerpoint to share the relevance of the impact of malnutrition in their organisations with their Trust Board (the template can be downloaded from www.bapen.org.uk). Ailsa then highlighted work ongoing in England to tackle malnutrition, citing excellent practice-based examples, including the design of highly reliable systems to deliver good nutritional care to every patient, in every ward, on every day. Examples included electronic screening and care planning, nutrition dashboards for ‘ward to board’ reporting and the development of integrated nutritional care pathways that span across health economies. Dr Alastair McKinlay, Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, shared the ‘not so much cold as arctic’ conditions in nutritional care north of the border in Scotland. Alastair reflected on Scotland’s earlier successes in achieving quality standards in nutritional care before outlining some key challenges currently facing Scotland. For example, the decommissioning of the HPN network before calling for the support of BAPEN to refocus the attention of the Scottish Government on quality in nutritional care. Dr Barney Hawthorne, Consultant, Cardiff and


Vale NHS Trust, spoke of the diverse range of work in Wales covering the entire spectrum of nutrition, both obesity and malnutrition, which included accredited training, policy drivers and population level engagement. Barney highlighted the ‘All Wales’ approach which united all healthcare and social care providers. Sarah-Jane Hughes, Chief Dietitian/Clinical


Team Lead (Nutrition Support), BHSCT, delivered the final home nations update by informing delegates of the political and social shifts within Northern Ireland creating an environment in transition. Sarah described Northern Ireland’s ‘Get your 10 a day’ programme in response to the RCN


Nutrition Now Campaign and despite a quarter of job losses in the dietetic arena, concluded with an optimistic summary of the next steps for improving nutritional care in Northern Ireland. Dr Mike Stroud concluded the home nations


update by highlighting the differences in approaches and the difficulties that frontline teams face in the current economic climate, particularly the impact of a reduction in the numbers of dietitians and nutrition nurses available to deliver care and the impact of cost cutting exercises on catering budgets. Half to three quarters of the delegates in the audience confirmed (with a show of hands) their personal experiences of such cost-cutting exercises or recruitment difficulties in catering, dietetic and nutrition nursing services. ‘Where we go next?’ is a crucial question for BAPEN and one that was answered by Dr Mike Stroud and Dr Tim Bowling. Mike explained the importance of ‘future proofing’ BAPEN and presented a top-line nutrition strategy involving a coalition of partners. On an upbeat note, Mike reported on the success that followed his presentation at the recent QIPP Safe Care Conference in London in October 2011, updating delegates on some of BAPEN’s recent achievements to embed nutrition into Department of Health Policy, operating frameworks and contracting, working towards BAPEN’s vision for excellence in nutritional care for every person, in every setting on every day. “The Department of Health in England is totally committed,” explained Dr Stroud, and “recognises that nutrition delivers across all five domains in the outcomes framework.” There has never been a better time than now for good nutritional care to be a top priority in England, and BAPEN is committed to working with the other home nations to share successful approaches. Dr Stroud concluded by outlining some exciting new initiatives in the form of a nutrition task force (which is likely to report to the Dignity and Care Commission) and plans to widen the All Party Parliamentary group to form a Nutrition Action Alliance before welcoming Dr Tim Bowling to the stage as incoming chair. Dr Tim Bowling outlined plans for his Chairmanship but not before thanking Dr Mike Stroud. "I am delighted to be taking over the Chair


of BAPEN from Mike Stroud, who has done a superb job over these last three years and has the wholehearted appreciation and thanks of the Association,” said Tim.


Tim went on to explain that BAPEN has played a


significant role in ensuring that nutritional care has never been higher on political, professional and public agendas. BAPEN has helped achieve this through its wide range of activities relating to screening, the development of educational tools for ‘MUST’ and its collaborative associations with many clinical, NHS, and Department of Health groups across different areas of practice and commissioning.


BAPEN ‘fit for purpose’ for the next decade


Tim went on to explain that over the next 3 years, under his Chairmanship, maintaining the momentum on current activities, and further enhancing our position as the key opinion leader in this sector is vital. He outlined the 4 main areas that will be the primary focus of work for BAPEN: 1. Revitalising and expanding our membership so that BAPEN represents a robust community


2. Overhauling the current structure of committees and communications, which do not currently function as well as they could, supported by an enhanced and expanded website. BAPEN will welcome new members onto the committees; please do volunteer and get involved.


3. Responding to the changing NHS and social care landscape by expanding our regional and local networks and activities across all four nations of the UK.


4. Development of everyday guidance to all health and care practitioners in order to support the provision of excellent nutritional care in hospital, care homes and the community. Tim concluded by saying that he is tremendously privileged to be Chairman of BAPEN. The opening session then ended with a showcase of the many examples of excellent practice across the UK. Our particular congratulations are extended to Tracy Earley, Consultant Nutrition Nurse at the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, for her recent award of ‘Nurse of the Year’.


Ailsa Brotherton shared excellent practice to redesign highly reliable systems for the delivery of good nutritional care in England


3 BAPEN In Touch No.63 January 2012


Achieving Excellence in Nutritional Care – Dr Mike Stroud provided delegates with an overview of BAPEN’s future plans.


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