The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published two reports on nutrition and hydration care in public acute hospitals. HIQA monitors against the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare to review nutrition and hydration care of patients in Irish hospitals.

HIQA inspections monitor hospitals to ensure that they have effective systems in place to identify and manage patients who are at risk of malnutrition and dehydration. The reports published today relate to inspections in Roscommon University Hospital and Cork University Hospital.

An unannounced inspection was carried out in Roscommon University Hospital on     8 March 2017. The inspection team found that the hospital had a Nutrition Steering Committee in place that had implemented a number of quality improvement initiatives relating to nutrition and hydration care. The hospital routinely screened and re-screened all patients for their risk of malnutrition in line with national guidelines. Inspectors found that the hospital regularly audited compliance with nutritional screening at the hospital and had recently expanded their audit of compliance to include compliance with accuracy in calculation of screening scores.

The majority of patients who spoke with inspectors were satisfied with the quality of food and drinks they received while in hospital. While inspectors found that patients on standard and therapeutic diets were offered a choice at mealtimes, choice was not available to patients on texture-modified diets.

During an unannounced inspection of nutrition and hydration at Cork University Hospital on 28 February 2017, the inspection team found that the hospital had a Nutritional and Catering Project Team which had implemented some quality improvement initiatives relating to nutrition and hydration.

All patients who spoke with inspectors were satisfied with the quality of food and drinks that they received while in hospital. However, some patients told inspectors that both the midday and evening meal were served too early. There were a number of menu choices available for patients on standard and therapeutic diets. However, patients on a number of texture-modified diets had no choice. Inspectors observed that patients who required assistance were offered assistance in a prompt manner.

The hospital reported that all patients undergo a nutritional assessment on admission to hospital; however, inspectors found that not all patients were screened for their risk of malnutrition in line with national guidelines, using a validated tool.  The hospital should proceed with the implementation of screening and rescreening for all patients in the hospital using a validated screening tool in line with the national guidelines.