Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2017
343. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the prevalence of disease-related malnutrition across all health and social care settings in the past five years according to clinical treatment settings including inpatient, outpatient, nursing homes and general practitioner clinics by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53071/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra344. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to use nutritional screening and malnutrition rates as mandatory quality indicators across all clinical treatment settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53072/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra345. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the initiatives his Department is engaged in with regard to mitigating against the annual cost of disease-related malnutrition in the community setting in which 93% of persons with malnutrition reside and which is estimated to be more than the annual cost of obesity at some €1.4 billion per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53073/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra346. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the example of best practice displayed by the Netherlands in tackling the issue of disease-related malnutrition through the establishment of the Dutch malnutrition steering group (details supplied) which successfully reduced the prevalence of malnutrition across all healthcare settings over a 12-year period; his plans to bring forward a similar initiative here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53074/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 343 to 346, inclusive, together.
Hospital food and malnutrition in hospitals have been made a priority issue and in response the HSE has established a multi-disciplinary hospital food and nutrition policy development group, This group will include representation from the chairs of the Nutrition and Hydration Steering Committee from a hospital within each Hospital Group.
The HSE has employed a Project Dietitian with specific skills and experience in the area of hospital food/menus to lead on the development of a National Hospital Food and Nutrition Policy and implementation plan. This Policy will be supported by the Acute Hospital Division and the Health and Wellbeing Division.
The development of the policy will take cognisance of pre-existing policies and work in this area (Irish and international) including individual hospital nutrition policies, the HSE calorie posting, the healthier vending policies and screening policies already underway. The overarching food and nutrition policy will include minimum nutrition standards and refer to other relevant policies such as protected meal times policy, nutrition screening and referral pathways.
As the specific issues you have raised are service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up on the matter.
