BAPEN 2018 Annual Conference

The BAPEN 2018 Annual Conference took place on 20 and 21 November at Harrogate Convention Centre, with a focus on providing quality nutritional care.

Topicsincluded:

The health and economic value of optimal nutrition on disease-related malnutrition

Dr Karen Friejer showed data which highlighted the cost-effectiveness of medical nutrition and oral nutritional supplements (ONS) use in both the community and hospital settings, leading to reduced complications and healthcare usage.

Improving the management of malnutrition into the future

Dr Rebecca Stratton, Chair, Malnutrition Action Group, BAPEN, highlighted that malnutrition is prevalent and costly, and by managing malnutrition effectively, including using the appropriate use of ONS, can save approximately £65 million per year in England alone.

Compelling evidence for GPs to manage malnutrition?

Dr Trevor Smith, Consultant Gastroenterologist University Hospital Southampton discussed the evidence to managing malnutrition, informing that malnourished patients use more healthcare resources than non-malnourished patients, cost savings can be extrapolated to over £300k per average CCG, CG32 / QS24 implementation is cost effective (overall cost saving higher than almost all other NICE guideline implementation, second only to long acting reversible contraception), and that ready-made ONS leads to an improved quality of life as well as being cost effective.

Dr Karen Friejer