A practice guide entitled ‘How to Comply with CQC’s Outcome 5: Meeting Nutritional Needs’ has been published by the National Association of Care Catering (NACC). The publication offers professional guidance on nutrition standards. The guide has been produced in collaboration with ECCA and it aims to clarify the professional standards that care services are expected to comply with on food preparation, helping to prevent instances of malnutrition and dehydration amongst service users.
Care providers will be able to use the guide to evaluate their service’s viability with the CQC Provider Compliance Assessment, through the use of fact sheets, checklists, record charts and implementation plans. The guide has the purpose of helping both domiciliary care and residential care providers. This is especially helpful for smaller companies that may not previously have been able to attain the highest level of professional guidance.
Karen Oliver, Chair of NACC said that, “Complying with Outcome 5 is a must as it significantly reduces the risk of poor nutrition and hydration in all care provision, and also ensures that the dignity of service users is respected. It is therefore imperative that all care providers receive as much support and information as possible to ensure they meet all the standards set out by the Care Quality Commission and guarantee the nutritional health and well-being of the people entrusted to their care. Our definitive toolkit does just that.”
Martin Green spoke of the necessity to meet the needs of service users, “Working with the NACC we have produced a toolkit that helps care providers fully understand how to ensure that the fundamental human right of dignity if upheld at mealtimes. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that mealtimes are enjoyable experiences for those in receipt of care services. The social aspect is as important as the nutritional content, and they should not be task orientated. Only by the mealtime being person-centred can dignity be ensured. If it is enjoyable then ultimately the nutritional care will be excellent. An enjoyable meal recognises what people want, and how, where and with whom they want it.”
