Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance and advice they provide for informal carers of patients with nutritional problems and eating difficulties.

The Government remains committed to support informal carers to provide care for those they care for.

While the Department does not provide specific guidance and advice for carers of those they care for with nutritional problems and eating difficulties, the Care Act 2014 requires that where an adult or carer appears to have care and support needs the local authority must carry out a care assessment. It must then decide if the person has eligible needs by considering the outcomes the person wants to achieve, what needs they have, and how these impact on their wellbeing.

Where a person is assessed as having eligible care and support needs, these must be met by their local authority. For those who do not meet the eligibility criteria, local authorities should signpost people to relevant services. This includes guidance and advice for informal carers of patients with nutritional problems.

One of the eligibility determinations in the Care Act 2014 for care and support is managing and maintaining nutrition. In addition, there are other sources of information carers can access, such as advice from healthcare professionals. The nutrition company Nutricia also produces information for carers to help provide better support for them around nutritional problems and eating difficulties. The leaflets are available free online as downloads from Carers UK.