The recently appointed Welsh Chair said that although great strides have been made in care catering, events like Nutrition and Hydration Week (13th-19th) help highlight that more needs to be done to ensure a smooth transition between hospital and home.
Head, said: “Many suppliers are already working in partnership with hospital caterers to ensure better levels of menu innovation and choice for patients while in care, and this is something we definitely want to see more of.
“Allied to this, we are calling on all stakeholders to support initiatives like Meals on Wheels which does so much to safeguard the nutritional needs of many vulnerable people.”
Head pinpointed a ‘critical two weeks’ for more vulnerable members of society following discharge from hospital, where, if their appetite has subsided in care, it may fall further into neglect upon discharge, with a lack of nutrition and adequate hydration hindering recovery.