Resources for Dietitians
Malnutrition Pathway Primary Care Network Portal
PCN RESOURCES HOME PAGE RESOURCES A-Z RETURN TO MAIN SITEDietitians provide specialist nutritional assessment and advice to patients, empowering them to manage their own nutritional needs through devising tailored nutritional care plans and interventions. They also have a key role in educating and supporting other healthcare professionals to identify and manage malnutrition risk.
PCN Dietitians deal with a variety of patients with nutritional issues and work closely with other members of the PCN team. By advising and training colleagues on the identification and management of patients at risk of malnutrition they can enable them to give appropriate advice and treatment to those at risk whilst ensuring that those in most need are referred for further dietetic assessment.
Dietitians can assist in wider identification of malnutrition by:
- Discussing the implementation of nutritional screening and nutritional care pathways via a review of patient electronic records and through specific PCN services including at annual reviews, specific patient clinics such as COPD, frailty, older persons health check or as part of the medicines review particularly for those with polypharmacy. A number of helpful resources are available including:
COPD
CANCER
DYSPHAGIA: SWALLOWING DIFFICULTIES
SARCOPENIA: LOW MUSCLE MASS
FALLS
CARE HOMES
- Educating PCN colleagues on:
- The subjective indicators of weight loss/malnutrition - such as unexplained weight loss, dysphagia, fatigue GO TO RESOURCE
- Initiating conversations about diet during consultations GO TO RESOURCE
- Identifying the causes and symptoms, which are interfering with the ability to eat and drink, and addressing those that can be reversed or modified should be an integral component of the treatment plan GO TO RESOURCE
- Giving advice on specific conditions where malnutrition is often prevalent
A number of materials are available to assist Dietitians in training other members of the PCN team to ensure they are aware of malnutrition, its consequences and the importance of identifying it:
The Malnutrition Pathway has developed a number of POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS focusing on:
- The identification and management of malnutrition according to degree of risk for use with professionals who may be in the position to identify and manage patients at risk
- The costs of malnutrition to UK health and social care and the how the cost of malnutrition can be cut through screening and appropriate management for use with those commissioning services to tackle malnutrition
The BAPEN Virtual Learning Environment has a number of online training tools: GO TO BAPEN SITE
Local patient resource sheets may be available to refer PCN staff to. In addition, a number of patient materials are available via the Malnutrition Pathway.
GREEN: Eating Well for those at low risk of malnutrition; how to eat a balanced diet.
YELLOW: Your Guide to Making the Most of Your Food for those at medium risk of malnutrition; how to fortify foods.
RED: Nutrition Drinks (known as oral nutritional supplements) for those at high risk of malnutrition and who have been prescribed oral nutritional supplements. This leaflet gives advice on how best to incorporate oral nutritional supplements into the diet.
Leaflets for individuals who are experiencing symptoms that interfere with eating
Reduced appetite, feeling full after eating small amounts, unexplained weight loss
Dry mouth, sore mouth, chewing difficulties, breathlessness
Altered bowel habit – diarrhoea or constipation
