Bold ‘food first’ approach provides benefits

An innovative ‘food first’ approach to reduce or eliminate the need to use oral nutritional supplements (ONS) for adults across the Highlands has proved successful.

It follows an NHS Highlandwide decision to take a proactive, multi-disciplined approach throughout 2017.

NHS Highland’s nutrition and dietetic advisor with responsibility for ONS prescribing Evelyn Newman said since the health board decided to transform ONS prescribing, there had been a 25 per cent reduction in the total ONS spend in NHS Highland.

‘That equates to a £300,000 saving in one year,’ she said.

GPs, nurses, care home workers and cooks, speech therapists, nurses, dietitians and pharmacists worked together to help reduce or eliminate use of ONS.

In the care home sector, it was decided to stop ONS use for residents and service users.

Ms Newman added: ‘Our care homes have great cooks and staff who are committed to providing high quality meal times, using a wide range of appetising food and drinks.’

She added the groundwork for this good nutritional support had been put in place through staff training and education programmes.

As well as the ‘food first' principle, NHS Highland’s pharmacy department updated the ONS primary care range of prescription products with a view to reducing the number of supplements.

Ian Rudd, NHS Highland’s director of pharmacy, said: ‘The local team has worked hard to ensure we meet residents’ nutritional requirements through the ‘food first’ approach.’