Using enter-and-view provision to review hospital nutritional care

Local involvement network (LINk) representatives can enter health or social care services to view the quality of the service provided. In late 2010, South Gloucestershire LINk used its enter-and-view power to look at inpatient nutrition and hydration in North Bristol NHS Trust. Authorised LINk representatives scrutinised trust policy documents, met with board members, senior staff and matrons, visited wards to observe mealtimes, and talked to ward staff and patients. They found that nutritional screening is being implemented across the trust and protected mealtimes are in place. They recommended, however, the introduction of a universal system of identifying patients who need help to eat and drink, that qualified staff note every patient's food wastage, and that staff should make minor changes to practice to help patients drink fresh tap water regularly.