Opportunity to provide feedback about the Patients Association Nutrition Checklist
In 2018 the Patients Association launched a checklist to help adult patients and staff/volunteers working in health and social care to identify the potential risk of undernutrition in adults.
It is estimated that more than 3 million people living in the UK are currently undernourished, underweight or are not receiving appropriate nutrition to support and maintain their health and wellbeing. Our checklist helps address the problem of undernutrition by:
Encouraging conversations and raising awareness of the potential for undernutrition
Helping identify those likely to be at risk of undernutrition by using a simple tool
Providing basic advice and signposting to information and sources of help for those likely to be at risk.
Three years on from the launch, we’d like feedback on the Patients Association Nutrition Checklist, to see how and in what way it has been useful, and to consider whether there are ways to ‘refresh’ or improve it.
If you or a family member have used the Patients Association Nutrition Checklist, or have been concerned about being underweight, or losing weight unintentionally, and you would like to give feedback via a virtual focus group or a short survey, please let us know here.
Seeking participants for a virtual patient advisory group on tackling antibiotic resistance
Antibiotics play a crucial role in treating infections. Antimicrobial resistance (or antibiotic resistance) occurs when a microorganism (bacteria, virus, fungi, parasite) no longer responds to an antibiotic. These ‘superbugs’ make infections harder to treat, which can increase the risk of the infection/disease spreading, severe illness and death.
The rising rates of antibiotic resistant ‘superbugs’ is of great concern for everyone, especially in patients whose care has been affected by infection. Patients can play a key role in safeguarding against antibiotic resistance by actively engaging and participating in their care and to be stewards of appropriate use of antibiotics.
Pfizer will be hosting a Patient Advisory Group to learn more about the experiences and insights of patients who have had to deal with severe infections due to antibiotic resistance, with the goal of elevating the patient voice in the fight against ‘superbugs’ and the rising challenge of antibiotic resistance. Pfizer has engaged the Patients Association to help convene and co-chair the Patient Advisory Group.
The Patient Advisory Group will help Pfizer to:
• Understand patient perspectives regarding antibiotic resistance and identify meaningful initiatives to involve patients in safeguarding the appropriate use of antibiotics
• Empower patients to see themselves as owners of their medical history and partners in determining the best treatment plans for them
• Raise awareness about antibiotic resistance among patients and communities
• Shape its future work to address the rising rates of antibiotic resistance
Pfizer is seeking patients who meet the following criteria:
• Adult UK residents only
• Experience with bacterial infections* that have required recurrent and/or prolonged courses of intravenous antibiotics in a hospital setting only (e.g., hospital medical or surgical ward, ambulatory care, clinic environments).
*bacterial infections, such as (but not limited to) urine infection, chest infections, pneumonia, skin infections, etc.
The Patient Advisory Group will be convened in early June for a 3 hour virtual meeting. Pfizer will reimburse participants £81 per hour. If you meet these criteria and would like to be considered for the Patient Advisory Group, please contact Sharrie McIntosh, sharrie.mcintosh@patients-association.org.uk.
Surveys still open
Our Women’s Health Strategy survey is still open for you to complete. Your answers will help us develop our response to the Government’s consultation. The Government has now published an easy read version of its consultation, available here.
Our shared decision-making survey is an important part of our ongoing work to empower and enable patients to have a greater say in decisions about their care and treatment. It asks you a few questions about the role you play in your own health, and how you feel about this.
Michael* called our free helpline to ask how he could hurry up getting his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
He was approaching the 12-week deadline and still hadn’t been offered a second appoint. Michael was worried about missing the vaccine. He told the adviser that he’d not been given a card with his vaccine details after his first jab – just the leaflet about side effects.
Our adviser recommended that he call 119, the dedicated NHS COVID helpline for help.
* Name changed for privacy.
To share your experiences with our helpline team, call 0800 3457115 between 9.30am and 5pm on weekdays or email helpline@patients-association.org.uk. See our website for more ways to get in touch.
Our purpose is to ensure that everybody can access and benefit from the health and care they need to live well, by ensuring that services are designed and delivered through equal partnership with patients.
Our strategic focus for 2021-25 is patient partnership in the design and delivery of health and care services.
We are a registered charity raising all our own funds. If you'd like to support our work for all patients and make a difference, please donate or consider making a regular donation. Thank you.
The Patients Association is a registered charity in England and Wales (1006733). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (02620761)
Registered address: P Block, Northwick Park Hospital, The North West Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3YJ
