Core Group Updates NNNG


LIZ EVANS Chair NNNG


This year is going to be a very busy and exciting one for the NNNG. Since the launch of our new website in November 2011 there has been a lot of interest in the site. In the first three months it had 574 visits. With a ‘member’s only’ facility, it is full of the latest news and views and will host policy documents relating to the field of nutrition. It also means that, for the first time, our members can renew their subscription online, which is proving to be an instant success; generating 62 per cent of our membership renewals online as opposed to the more traditional method of renewal via cheque or standing order. We have also seen an 11 per cent increase in new members this year.


This year represents the beginning of a new initiative for the NNNG – the development of practice guidelines aimed specifically at nurses working in the field of nutrition. The aim of these guidelines is to provide a concise and easy to navigate reference tool for nurses to refer to when developing or renewing nursing nutritional protocols or policies. The first two guidelines to be developed will look at fine bore nasogastric tube insertion and replacement gastrostomy tube


insertion. The first of these guidelines to be developed will be Safe Insertion of Nasogastric (NG) Feeding Tubes in Adults, which will be published via the NNNG website on 12th March. In support of these guidelines, the NPSA are planning to set up a webinar to promote them following their release to all our members. The plan is to then follow up with releasing the balloon gastrostomy guidelines by late spring 2012. To strengthen the work the NNNG is currently undertaking to inform its membership and raise awareness of the nursing role in nutrition, we are forging close links with national agencies, including the RCN Gastroenterology forum and the RCP Nutrition committee. We will be working with the RCN Gastroenterology forum to present an interesting programme on the Nursing Day at the UKDD week in June, where sessions including discussing whether there is a need to regulate Specialist and Advanced Practice and ‘Listening to the patient voice’ will be held.


At the request of the RCP Nutrition committee we have put forward a member of the NNNG to represent nutrition in nursing and


review proposed publications. We will be holding our own conference on 29th and 30th October this year in Manchester Town Hall and are pleased announce that Caroline Lecko from the NPSA will be delivering our key note speech. Caroline will be exploring the impact that the NPSA alert regarding misplaced nasogastric feeding tubes in adults and children (March 2011) has had on clinical practice and upon patient safety. The programme is currently being finalised and we hope to be able to release a programme shortly. We are sad to say goodbye to Tracy Earley who, due to an increasingly heavy workload, has regretfully decided to step down from the Committee. We are grateful to Tracy for all the work she has done for the NNNG but fully support her decision. We wish her well in the future and look forward to seeing her at conference this year. Finally, the NNNG is only as good as its members and I think it is fair to state that we are very fortunate to have such a dynamic group of people within our membership who are keen to share their ideas and problem solve on our forum. We look forward to another successful year ahead.


BAPEN are continuously working as an Association, and with other likeminded Associations, to collate information and produce reports on current nutritional issues affecting hospital, community and social care. BAPEN has recently produced a number of new reports that are now available to purchase or download via the BAPEN office and website.


Reports • Annual BANS Report 2011 • Improving Nutritional Care & Treatment: Perspectives & Recommendations from Population Groups, Patients & Carers


• Combating Malnutrition: Recommendations For Action • Nutrition Screening Week 2010 Results • Malnutrition in Sheltered Housing Report • British Consensus Guidelines on Intravenous Fluid Therapy for Adult Surgical Patients - GIFTASUP


For further information, or to order a BAPEN Report, simply visit the publications section of the BAPEN website: www.bapen.org.uk/res_pub.html – order online, or contact the BAPEN office on: 01527 457 850


BAPEN In Touch No.64 March 2012 12


BAPEN Reports


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