Health chiefs at a local NHS trust joined service users for sit-down meals to raise awareness of good nutrition and hydration and the important role it plays in patient care.
Supporting the national nutrition and hydration ‘Change Challenge’, members of the Trust Board at five Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust sat down for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the Trust’s mental health inpatient wards in Knowsley, St Helens, Warrington and Wigan during the wards’ protected meal times.
Through the ‘Change Challenge’, organisers of the national Nutrition and Hydration Week campaign have challenged NHS trust boards across the country to eat a meal on their wards, to chat to patients and promote the importance of good nutrition and hydration.
Chair of five Boroughs Partnership’s Nutrition and Hydration Steering Group and Trust Allied Health Professional Lead Hazel Hendriksen was the driving force behind the Trust’s involvement with the challenge.
As well as asking the Trust Board to take part in the challenge, Hendriksen also invited members of the steering group to join the Board for a meal with service users.
“We invited members of our Trust Board and our Nutrition and Hydration Steering Group to sit down and enjoy a meal with our service users, to raise awareness of nutrition, hydration and the roles they play in recovery from mental ill-health,” Hendriksen said.
“Eating well not only helps to fight infection, replace lost nutrients, maintain a healthy weight and prevent weight loss, it also provides people with the energy they need to recover and enjoy positive physical and mental wellbeing.”
Trust Chief Executive Simon Barber enjoyed breakfast with service users on Marlowe Unit at Hollins Park on Tuesday morning and dinner on Lakeside Ward at Leigh Infirmary on Wednesday evening.
“It was great to take some time out to sit down and have a meal with our service users,” he said.
“Our Trust is committed to ensuring our service users are given a choice of dishes to satisfy their nutritional, dietary and cultural needs and I’m very proud of the high quality and variety of food that is served on our wards.”
To find out more about the Nutrition and Hydration ‘Change Challenge’ please click here.
