Food First Team
The Food First Team – What We Do
A team of registered dietitians, assistant practitioners and a data analyst working across Luton and South Bedfordshire towards a collective vision of Sharing our specialist knowledge to empower others to make nutrition and hydration a priority
We are passionate about using food based approaches to managing malnutrition and work with a range of Health and Social care staff to improve people’s access to safe and evidence based nutrition and hydration care. This includes working with primary care (e.g. GPs) to support the appropriate prescribing of nutritional products. We also provide an enhanced service to care homes for older people which includes a training and accreditation programme.
A personalised food based approach for the management of malnutrition is encouraged and based on three principles:
- Fortified diet: Adding extra energy and protein to meals/snacks to increase nutrient density and not portion size.
- Nutrient dense snacks: For a little and often approach for those with a small appetite.
- Nourishing drinks: Nutrient dense drinks that can be tailored to people’s preferences.
For more on malnutrition look at the British Dietetic Association’s (BDA) Malnutrition: Food Fact Sheet
For more on hydration look at the BDA’s Fluid (water and drinks): Food Fact Sheet
For more on what a dietitian is look at the BDA’s webpage here
Contact the Food First Team
Food First Team, Nutrition and Dietetic Department, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, Units 2-3 Poynters Road, Luton, LU4 0LA
Tel: 0333 4053156
Email: food.first@nhs.net