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EDITORIALS: Mike Lean and Martin Wiseman Malnutrition in hospitals BMJ 2008; 336: 290 [Full text]

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National efforts underway to address undernutrition in hospital

Sumantra Ray   (8 February 2008)

National efforts underway to address undernutrition in hospital 8 February 2008
Sumantra Ray, Senior Clinical Research and Teaching Fellow Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY Send response to journal: Re: National efforts underway to address undernutrition in hospital	Undernutrition in hospital is a serious problem and needs to be tackled giving it the utmost priority. It is excellent that Professors Lean and Wiseman have highlighted this. It is also worth noting that the Council of Europe expert guidelines (2003), clearly state that malnutrition in hosptal is a free-standing diagnosis in its own right and should be managed as such. I would also add that there have been concerted interprofessional efforts in the past 2 years through the Council of Europe Alliance (UK) for Hospital Nutrition, which has released the "10 Key Characteristics of Good Nutritional Care", a guideline that has been accepted widely. In addition, the Department of Health has hosted summits leading to a published "Nutrition Action Plan" addressing undernutrition in hospital(2007). I have been closely involved in this work as former British Medical Association Lead on Hospital Nutrition (2005-7) and I am acutely aware that the road ahead has much more to be done, with numerous challenges. However, it is now up to all of us to implement these plans and guidelines, which of course requires co-operation between all health professionals, government input and public support. In a BBC1 documentary aired in November 2007, ("What's really in our food? - Hungry in Hospital"), we have followed the patient journey through hospital, identifying the weakest links in the chain of care that can contribute to undernutrition in hospital. However, such messages needs to be further reinforced, and can be greatly aided by the responsible use of the media and enthusiastic campaigning by opinion leaders such as through this editorial by Professors Lean and Wiseman. Dr. Sumantra Ray, R.Nutr. Competing interests: Former BMA Lead on Hospital Nutrition and Member of Council of Europe Alliance (UK)on Hospital Nutrition