The Malnutrition Task Force

The Malnutrition Task Force (MTF) is committed to working across the community and care settings to tackle avoidable and preventable malnutrition and dehydration in older people.

Why was the MTF set up?

Malnutrition is a real issue in the UK. Over 1 million people over the age of 65 are malnourished or at risk of malnourishment and the cost of the condition is estimated to be in the region of billions of pounds a year. 

However, despite being a widespread problem, the condition is often poorly understood or not dealt with properly across care settings, including hospitals and care homes.

Age UK jointly established the MTF in 2012 to help us take forward recommendations concerning dehydration and malnourishment in care settings that appeared in Delivering dignity (see Recommendation 24), the report from the Commission on Improving Dignity in Care.

Who is part of the MTF?

Age UK is one of the founding members and current sponsors of the MTF. Others include apetito, BAPEN, Nutricia and RVS. 

It is chaired by Age UK’s Chairman, Dianne Jeffrey CBE DL.

What does the MTF do?

The Malnutrition Prevention Programme

The Prevention Programme was an innovative scheme set up by the MTF to combat malnutrition at a local level. It featured local health stakeholders – including NHS trusts, hospitals, GP practices, care homes and community groups - coming together to tackle the problem.

The Programme was piloted in five areas across England - Salford, Gateshead, Purbeck, Kent and Lambeth and Southwark. The evaluation results from these pilots will be disseminated nationally in the first half of 2016.

Guides

The first phase of MTF work saw an expert ‘task and finish’ group being set up to review evidence and identify practices that work at tackling malnutrition. On the back of this, guides were produced aimed at different care settings, outlining ‘best practice’ and implementation models to tackle malnutrition. These have received widespread professional praise.