Improving inpatients’ clinical outcomes with guidance from dietitians

In our second Expert Series video, we explore the importance of meeting nutritional requirements for inpatients with Hasina Aktar, Head of Dietetics for Sodexo Health & Care UK&I, to ultimately improve clinical outcomes.

It’s important to understand how the science behind food plays a big part in the patient experience and their recovery. Sodexo aims to support recovery and patient flow by helping deliver quasi-clinical tasks in hospitals. Watch now for Hasina’s perspective on improving hospital nutrition with the aid of dietitians. 

Hospitalisation, as an ideal opportunity for better nutritional outcomes 

Malnutrition can present itself as undernutrition or overnutrition, which costs the NHS around £6.1 billion a year. According to the BAPEN 2021 malnutrition report, a quarter of patients coming into hospitals are at risk of malnutrition or already in a malnourished state. It is an important problem that needs to be addressed urgently. Dietitians are subject matter experts in food, nutrition and hydration, and cannot be replaced as they have the expertise and clinical knowledge that is required. Nutritionally analysed menus created by dietitians can make a real difference in a patient’s care pathway. 

Watch the video featuring Sodexo’s Head of Dietetics Hasina Aktar to discover how to deliver empowered patient experiences through good nutrition, which in turn can improve patient flow in hospitals. 

Meeting the NHS Food Standards and net zero ambitions in healthcare 

The new National Healthcare Food & Drink Standards, published in November 2022, reinforces the idea that food is the key element in helping patients get better. Food is on top of the agenda along with the short- and long-term net zero goals in hospitals. 

Supporting the ambitions of hospitals around net zero and food waste by offering no meat days or creating seasonal menus can reduce carbon emissions. Practical solutions such as utilising ingredients over a few days to reduce food wastage can have a great positive impact. 

Sodexo’s WasteWatch initiative, implemented in nearly 200 sites, helps us identify where the food wastage is coming from and how we can best act on that. Gaining insight into what’s causing the food waste will enable us to make necessary changes, and even smaller changes can have a practical, discernible impact. 

Explore the next steps in creating positive patient experiences through good nutrition 

Recognising the need for putting hospital food at the centre of a good hospital stay, and fighting malnutrition which delays recovery and discharge, can support patients to get better quicker and leave hospital sooner. 

Learn more now: Elevating patient nutrition with guidance from dietitians