Specialist support for housebound people at risk of malnutrition.
What do we do?
A specialist service tailoring dietary advice to help improve the nutritional wellbeing of underweight people who are unable to leave their homes. We aim to help people enjoy the eating experience once more and where required will give practical tips and food demonstrations.
How do people access the service?
You cannot self-refer into this service. If you are aged over 18 and recorded as housebound on your GP clinical record, then you can be referred into the service by your GP or any other health and social care professional if you meet certain screening criteria using MUST (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool). We accept referrals for people who score high using this screening tool.
If you’re not suitable for our service, then we may sign post you to other health care professionals who are more appropriate to meet your needs.
What can you expect if you are referred to this service?
Once we have received your referral from your GP or any other health care professional, this will be passed on to the Nutrition Support Service to triage and contact will be made with you to arrange a visit at a time that is convenient to you.
It is helpful if you can keep a record of your food and drink intake for 1 – 3 days to give an indication of your dietary habits and preferences.
The Nutrition Support Service will want to hear from you what you find difficult in terms of shopping, cooking, eating and other health issues which impact on the eating experience. They will be interested in hearing about your social circumstances and will ask for a 24 hour dietary recall. With your agreement and if it is safe to do so they will weigh you or undertake some other body measurements to help with future monitoring of your progress.
Referrals
Health and Social Care professionals wishing to refer into the service must us the the following form: