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Health and Social Care Bill

The hon. Lady highlights one of the points that has caused me the greatest anxiety. Since 1997, more people going into hospital are malnourished, either because is their usual state or because it is part of their illness. Not only do more people come out more malnourished or undernourished than when they went in, but the numbers of those who go in malnourished have grown compared with 10 years ago. The incidence of malnourishment as a phenomenon has increased over that period, which is why it is so crucial that the issue is added to the Bill. That would send a message from this place and put the issue on a par with health care-acquired infections.