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Protected Mealtimes (England) Policy

Policy Statement

This policy sets out the values, principles and policies underpinning {{org_field_name}}’s approach to the protection of mealtimes.

Missing meals, or experiencing interruptions during the mealtimes, can compromise a person’s nutritional intake, which could have a negative impact on their health and wellbeing.

This purpose of this policy is to protect mealtimes from unnecessary and avoidable interruptions, providing a conducive environment for eating and ensuring that staff are available to support people during mealtimes, putting people at the centre of their mealtime experience.

This policy has also been drawn up in line with guidance from the Hospital Caterers Association. It is in line with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, particularly Regulation 14: Meeting Nutritional and Hydration Needs, which requires for care providers to ensure that an individual’s nutrition and hydration needs are always addressed and met.

Other relevant legislation and guidance that the home follows include the:

• Food Safety Act 1990
• Food Information Regulations 2014
• Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.

Key Goals

The goals of {{org_field_name}} are:

• to enable people who live here to eat meals without disturbance, whether they choose to eat in the dining room or their own room
• to create a quiet and relaxed atmosphere in which people are afforded time to enjoy meals
• to recognise and support the social aspects of eating, ensuring that people look forward to mealtimes
• to provide a tidy, clean and welcoming environment for people to enjoy their meals
• to limit activities during mealtimes so that only activities relevant to the meal and essential activities, such as responding to emergencies
• to emphasise to all staff, patients and visitors the importance of mealtimes as part of care.

Procedures

• Protected times will be clearly displayed in the home and described in the information pack. The protected times in {{org_field_name}} are as follows. [adjust for your home’s actual times]
• Breakfast: 7am–9am.
• Lunch/Dinner: 12pm–1pm.
• Tea/Dinner: 4pm–6pm.
• Supper: 7pm–8pm.
• Staff should prepare for mealtimes by ensuring that any tasks required to be completed prior to the meal are completed. This will include setting up the dining area and laying tables in line with the home’s high standards.
• Care staff should ensure, where appropriate, that people have been reminded or supported to use the toilet and wash their hands before sitting down to eat.
• Staff will support people to sit where they prefer and with the company they choose. Where people are unable to express their choice, staff should use their knowledge of the people they care for ensure they are sitting with people whose company they will enjoy.
• Staff will ensure that everyone is seated comfortably and safely before serving their food and drinks, which should be checked to ensure they are within the person’s comfortable reach.
• Staff will make food a priority during mealtimes, providing assistance and encouraging people to eat in line with their needs, being aware of how much food is being eaten and identifying and responding to people at risk of not eating sufficiently.
• Interruptions will only be permitted if absolutely necessary. For example, routine medicine rounds should not occur during mealtimes, however some people may need to have their medicines served with their meal.
• Family and friends who are joining for meals should be made aware of this policy and are expected to maintain the quiet and relaxed atmosphere.
• Staff will avoid, where possible, booking appointments with visiting professionals such as the GP or physiotherapist during mealtimes.
• Managers will avoid booking staff meetings, such as supervision, during protected times.
• Other potentially disruptive work, such as gardening and maintenance, will stop (where safe and practical) during protected mealtimes.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}

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