Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has consulted with clinicians, dieticians and relevant organisations on the nutritional needs of patients with covid-19.

Public Health England, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published a rapid guideline on vitamin D and COVID-19 in December 2020. The guideline development process included consultation with key stakeholder groups such as the Royal Colleges, the Nutrition Society and the British Dietetic Association. The rapid guideline on vitamin D and COVID-19, which considers both prevention and treatment, is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng187

In June 2020, the SACN published a scoping exercise on nutrition and immune function in relation to COVID-19. This scoping exercise may be updated or a more formal assessment undertaken, if robust evidence becomes available. The scoping paper is available at the following link:

https://app.box.com/s/ivrivaemf7fgeo9a17xdmv167c4uvteu/file/683666967452