Up to 50pc of hospital patients malnourished, inquiry hears
An independent inquiry into the New South Wales hospital system has heard up to half of all patients may be malnourished.
Two nutritionists have appeared at a public hearing at Sydney's Royal North hospital to talk about the standard of meals across the Northern Sydney Area Health service.
They say a recent study of hospitals across the service area found 51 per cent of patients showed some form of malnourishment.
Nutritionist Rhonda Matthews says the issue needs to be addressed quickly.
"We have an immediate need to address issues both on the ward and how we assist patients to eat and also the type and the presentation of the food," she said.
Ms Matthews told the inquiry that malnutrition leads to an increased incidence of illness and therefore higher costs for the system in the long term.
The hospital's nutrition manager, Joanne Prendergast, says the problem is not confined to one part of the state.
"[The problem is] systemic across the hospital system here in New South Wales, across the country," she said.
The commissioner also heard from Warren Anderson, whose daughter's death sparked the inquiry.
He said it is important that the 16-year-old's death leads changes in the system.
Tags: health, diet-and-nutrition, healthcare-facilities, nsw, sydney-2000
http://www.abc.net.au/news
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