Malnutrition risk ‘missed’ as shortcomings found in three acute hospitals

The State’s health services watchdog found shortcomings in the way three acute hospitals identified and managed patients at risk of malnutrition and dehydration.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) published reports yesterday on unannounced inspections carried out during July in Mallow General Hospital, Co Cork, University Hospital Kerry, and Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar.

Inspectors who visited Mallow General Hospital found it had a nutrition steering team, but it did not routinely screen patients for their risk of malnutrition on admission to hospital.