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Prescription to NHS: Nourish the Malnourished, For a Well-Fed Economy!

by Medindia Content Team on Feb 24 2006 2:17 PM

Patients, most often the elderly are wanting in good health and nourishment. Now, Doctors and nurses in the NHS have been asked to give better care, especially to elderly patients who are deficient in nourishment.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has recommended initial screening of all out-patients, prior to admission, so that malnutrition can be detected before the commencement of treatment. According to estimations, nearly 40% of people in hospitals are malnourished.

Gordon Lishman, director general of charity Age Concern said” All too often we hear that older people's nutritional needs are being overlooked and their lives are being put at risk. Access to food is a basic human right, yet older people tell us they are sometimes treated as second-class citizens in hospitals because they are not getting the food they need, or help with eating and drinking."

Experts say that Malnutrition is also a big drain on the financial resources that costs the UK more than £7.3billion a year. Malnourished patients spend longer times in the hospital, add up to the mortality rate and risk developing difficulties during surgery.


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