Managing undernutrition and dysphagia in the community

"Focus on Undernutrition Service is an outstanding service that sets standards others aspire too and highlights what can be achieved through joint working.”

“It has been a joy working with Focus on Undernutrition to produce the ‘MUST’ tapes, their promptness and friendliness make the ordering process a pleasure. The dietitians we work with find them an invaluable resource”

“Focus on Undernutrition leads the way in delivering innovative programmes of training and support to improve the quality of nutritional care for patients in care homes and in the community. The powerful impact that good nutritional care has on vulnerable people in our community is seen in improved outcomes and overall quality of life where food plays a key role in maintaining health as well as recovery from illness and disease. The Focus on Undernutrition team is widely respected with a fantastic track record of working across a range of health and other care organisations”

"I have worked with Rachael since the start of Focus on Undernutrition to embed the programme into our care home. The training delivered is extremely useful and the nutritional screening tool has vastly improved our nutritional care plans. It is simple to use and allows us to easily audit our residents’ nutritional status. Would highly recommend to Focus on Undernutrition to all care home managers."

"Working with Focus on Undernutrition has been very informative and fun. Our residents all love the recipe ideas and it is very easy to implement into our daily routine. I feel our standard of food has definitely improved as a direct result of this training. My staff find it easy to implement and better yet, I find it easily fits into our budgets."

"The Focus on Undernutrition team delivers a service that benefits many people in communities and care homes throughout the UK. For many years their resources have supported chefs and catering teams, with training delivered with passion and enthusiasm”

"Rachael has been working with us on several projects over the years, providing valuable insight and suggestions. We always produce something better with her input to the ultimate benefit of our clients."

“I have been lucky enough to work with Rachael and to follow her work and that of the Focus on Undernutrition for a number of years. Focus on Undernutrition continues to be a trailblazer, focusing as it does on both appropriately identifying and treating malnutrition in care homes across a wide geographical area and in sharing best practice and resources with other teams and individuals across the country. I have frequently signposted other health care professionals to Rachael’s work and resources and have long found the Focus on Undernutrition version of the ‘MUST’ to be significantly quicker and easier for both nurses and carers to understand and complete correctly than the ‘standard’ version. I believe that Focus on Undernutrition delivers a truly innovative service which helps to influence improved care for vulnerable older adults across the country.”

"I have called upon Rachael’s wealth of knowledge many times. I have a far better understanding of nutrition and hydration, particularly for those within a healthcare environment. ‘WaterADE’ was developed with the specific aim of addressing many of the hydration issues, Rachael was brought in on the project and consulted us on the formula, and in particular, the product’s vitamin content. Having received nothing but praise for the product, I feel that much of the success of the brand is due to the invaluable help & advice tendered by Rachael."

"Rachael was recommended to us and we’re delighted with the recommendation. Rachael has not just fulfilled the brief we asked of her but has consistently gone the extra mile. Throughout our work together she has delivered her expertise in a complex subject matter with an engaging, positive, straight forward manner inspiring our teams. We look forward to further developing our working relationship."

"Focus on Undernutrition’s training is clear and easy to understand and well received by the staff, even those new to care with little experience of undernutrition. Rachael has always been supportive and been on hand to answer any queries we had, and providing useful hints and tips on developing our nutritional care further."

"We found the Focus on Undernutrition training great to give our staff empowerment and knowledge of helping to implement a nutritious diet where possible with our residents; helping them get the most from every bite if their diet is poor."

"Focus on Undernutrition has always delivered excellent training at levels all were able to understand. I have attended both the healthcare workshop and catering course training which was both extremely useful and beneficial for my job role as manager. The training has helped me audit more effectively, plus I am able to assist staff if they get a little confused or have forgotten how to measure the weights through the 'MUST' scoring tool." The catering course training I attended with my cooks, was great. A complete eye-opener as a manager; especially the number of different desserts that you wouldn't think were suitable for those with diabetes. The tasting practical was amazing."

"The resources provided by Focus on Undernutrition have been useful to make available to care homes where they have no clear processes in place around nutrition. The resource folder is extremely comprehensive and includes everything you could possibly need. Kitchen staff have particularly liked the fortified recipe booklet."

"The Focus on Undernutrition train the trainer programme is 20 years of experience packed into 2 days! The level of detail in the training far exceeded anything we were expecting and provided everything we need to deliver great training”

"After the pureed week the home manager and I reviewed the need for residents on pureed diets. We identified several residents should have been on soft and bite-sized. Once we adapted their diet within a week, they started to gain weight, the first time since admission to the home!"

"It was great that the training had the balance of learning new information with the hands-on practical cookery. The information from the workshop clicked into place during the cookery session"

"I really enjoyed the training. I have got a lot out of the course. I am using some of the recipes given. My residents are starting to gain weight! Thank you".

"I have found the training very good and have taken away a lot which I have been able to implement within my care home. I would recommend it to anyone."

"The training has been very beneficial. Not only has the coursework been of use but the practical side has shown me areas I never knew about pureed diets and what is available to make it look attractive. I would recommend this training to anyone in the future if they are new working in a care home. Thank you."

Rachael’s knowledge, skill, enthusiasm and commitment to tackling undernutrition is evident from the first contact you have with her. She is the perfect advocate for anyone requiring advice and help in this challenging subject. She also has great empathy to the particular issues you are facing and limitless helpful suggestions. Very pleased to have found her.