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Protected mealtimes, new specialist cutlery and feeding buddies, all helping to improve patient experience at our hospitals.

Patients are trying out new stainless-steel knives, forks, and spoons, specially designed to assist individuals who may face difficulty in holding regular cutlery, on Florence Nightingale and Pasteur wards at Basildon Hospital, Bardfield ward at Broomfield Hospital and Chalkwell ward at Southend Hospital. Based on patient feedback, the cutlery will be made available on other wards soon.

Additionally, new bells, which are paid for by Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity, are now installed on wards and will be rung at the beginning of each mealtime. These new bells let the patients know that their meal is coming and that they will not be interrupted or sent for treatment during this time unless necessary.

We have also relaunched Protected Mealtimes at Basildon and Southend hospitals in January. This involves stopping all non-urgent activities during a specified time so that the nursing staff can assist patients with their meals. Red trays and jug lids are used to identify patients who need additional help or special diets. Families who wish to support their relatives with mealtimes are also able to sit with their loved ones and help them.

The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) has also been rolled out at our hospitals to monitor patients’ nutrition and give a quick response to certain conditions. The MUST care plans also involve use of red trays and jug lids, in-line with the Protected Mealtime practices.

There is a focused campaign on recruiting more feeding buddies, and we’ve recruited a nutrition trainer who will teach the Feeding Buddies about the nutrition of the meals given to patients, help to emphasise the importance of a balanced diet, and offer ways of motivating patients to eat.

There are now four trainers across Basildon, Broomfield, and Southend hospitals. Interactive sessions with the new trainers will help the volunteers in patient care.

Marilyn Glass, an experienced Feeding Buddy and Patient Liaison, expressed her enthusiasm about the new trainer joining her team. She said: “A feeding buddy role is very important and fulfilling. We make a difference to patients by encouraging them to eat and drink while engaging in conversation. And specialised training will benefit all of us who are genuinely passionate about helping patients.”

Marilyn is an 11-year veteran Feeding Buddy who has been serving the Trust with great dedication. Recently, she had the opportunity to meet with Anna Firth MP, and was recognised for her commitment to patient care and passion for continuous learning.

Currently, there are 90 Feeding Buddies across the Trust’s three hospitals. Though this number is below the level before the pandemic, residents are encouraged to volunteer and participate in this programme, and the Trust aims to recruit 200 volunteers by the end of this year.