Written question asked by Yvonne Fovargue (Labour) on Monday, 7 November 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 10 November 2011. It was answered by Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 10 November 2011 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Hydration: Hospitals

Question: (2) what guidelines his Department issues on training for nurses on effective hydration for patients in hospital.

Answer: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) sets the standards for pre-registration nurse education. Student nurses undertaking pre-registration nursing programmes will learn about hydration, including the assessment and monitoring of hydration status. The NMC has developed guidance on nutrition and fluid management within the essential skills clusters. This guidance is applicable to all fields of nursing and should be used by those providing pre-registration education.The NMC essential skills clusters are available at:"http://standards.nmc-uk.org/Documents/Annexe3_%20 ESCs_16092010.pdf"All providers of regulated activities, including hospitals and care homes, are required by law to have policies in place that protect people from the risks of dehydration. The Care Quality Commission can take action if these requirements are not being met.There are a number of best practice resources and guidelines available to help providers develop their own policies. These include the Hydration Toolkit and Essence of Care which outlines quality provision of the fundamentals of care, including 'Food and drink'. The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement provides good practice examples and toolkits to help prevent prevention. The NHS Institute's website is available at:"www.institute.nhs.uk"Information about the cost of treating conditions that result from lack of hydration in hospitals is not collected centrally.

Secondary information