We've embraced the current Nutrition and Hydration Week here at CHFT as always, as it's such an important part of the care we provide to our patients.

Here's a round-up with photos in our collage attached.:

*  As part of Nutrition & Hydration Week this week our Inpatient Speech & Language Therapy Team has been out and about promoting the new way of describing diet textures which starts on Monday 18th March.

They were visiting wards across both hospitals to provide training and resources linked to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) diet terminology we will be using from Monday.

They were discussing the changes and providing more information for the new way of describing diet textures.

If you have any queries please contact the Speech & Language Therapy team (CRH: 4246 / HRI: 5706) or visit the IDDSI website at https://iddsi.org/

Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulties. Management of dysphagia may include offering a patient modified fluid and diet consistencies. 

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the British Dietetic Association advocate the adoption of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework which has been introduced to standardise the terminology used when describing fluid thickness and different diet textures. 

CHFT already use IDDSI terminology to describe modified fluids and from Monday we will also introduce IDDSI terminology to describe diet textures. From this date the current national descriptors of Category C / D & E will no longer be used and you will see a new way to describe different types of diet texture.

See poster below for an easy explanation of the new terminology.

** We have introduced new yellow-topped jugs which highlight to our staff on the wards which of our patients may need extra fluids.

** Our catering team held a taster session for menus including pork in orange and ginger sauce, corned beef hash, chicken tikka masalla and rice, roasted vegetable tart, white chocolate and cranberry muffin loaf.
Testers including memebrs of the public, staff and visitors were asked to rate the food on appearance, taste and texture and their findings may help us shape future menus.

**Ward 5 at HRI held an afternoon tea with cuppas - as did other wards around the Trust.