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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Food and Drinks Management Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all individuals using the services of {{org_field_name}} receive safe, nutritious, balanced, and person-centred meals and hydration support in line with their health, cultural, religious, and personal preferences. This policy sets out how we manage the provision, preparation, monitoring, and review of food and drink in accordance with the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016, the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. It reflects CIW expectations that food and hydration provision must enhance individuals’ health, dignity, enjoyment, and quality of life.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all staff at {{org_field_name}} involved in the planning, preparation, service, assistance with, or monitoring of food and drink. This includes care staff, catering/kitchen staff, the Registered Manager, agency workers, and any professionals involved in dietary planning, including dietitians and speech and language therapists (SLTs). It also applies to contractors and suppliers responsible for delivering food products to the care home.

3. Related Policies

This policy should be read in conjunction with:
CHW07 – Person-Centred Care Policy
CHW11 – Safe Care and Treatment Policy
CHW12 – Meeting Nutritional and Hydration Needs Policy
CHW13 – Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy
CHW16 – Health and Safety at Work Policy
CHW17 – Infection Prevention and Control Policy
CHW21 – Medication Management and Administration Policy
CHW24 – Management of Accidents, Incidents, and Near Misses Policy
CHW40 – Assisting with Personal Care Policy

4. Policy Statement

At {{org_field_name}}, we are committed to promoting the health, wellbeing, independence, and dignity of every individual through the effective provision of food and drink. We ensure that all meals are safely prepared, nutritionally adequate, and aligned with individual needs and preferences. We understand the importance of mealtimes as social and cultural experiences and work to ensure they are unhurried, pleasant, and person-focused. Our approach is guided by dietetic best practice, current public health standards, and the preferences and rights of those we support.

5. Assessment and Planning of Food and Drink Needs

Before the commencement of care and support, the individual’s available care and support plan, health assessments, known dietary requirements, allergies, intolerances, preferences, risks and relevant professional recommendations will be considered when preparing the individual’s initial personal plan. Where an individual is admitted in urgent circumstances and there has not been sufficient time to prepare the personal plan before the service commences, the personal plan must be prepared within 24 hours of the commencement of care and support.

Within seven days of the commencement of care and support, a provider assessment will be completed by a person who has the appropriate skills, knowledge, competence and training. As part of that assessment, the service will identify any needs or risks relating to nutrition, hydration, eating, drinking and swallowing which may affect the individual’s well-being or ability to achieve their personal outcomes.

Where relevant to the individual, the assessment will include:

• dietary requirements and known food allergies or intolerances;
• relevant medical conditions and prescribed or therapeutic diets;
• food and drink preferences;
• cultural, religious, ethical and philosophical requirements;
• the individual’s normal eating and drinking routines;
• ability to eat and drink independently and any assistance required;
• chewing or swallowing difficulties and choking risk;
• positioning, equipment or adapted crockery and cutlery required for safe eating and drinking;
• weight history and relevant changes in weight;
• nutritional risk, using an appropriate nationally recognised or evidence-based assessment tool where indicated;
• risk of dehydration;
• oral health issues which may affect eating or drinking;
• communication needs relating to food, drink and mealtime choices; and
• relevant recommendations from healthcare professionals.

The individual, and where applicable the placing authority and any representative, will be involved in the assessment and planning process in accordance with the requirements of the Regulations. A representative does not have to be involved where an adult, or a child aged 16 or over, does not wish the representative to be involved, or where their involvement would not be consistent with the individual’s well-being.

Where nutritional, hydration, swallowing or other related concerns are identified, appropriate professional advice or assessment will be sought without avoidable delay. This may include referral to the GP, dietitian, speech and language therapist, dentist or other appropriate healthcare professional.

Professional recommendations, including prescribed diets, food fortification requirements, texture modification and fluid consistency requirements, will be clearly recorded in the individual’s personal plan and made available to staff responsible for preparing, serving or supporting the individual with food and drink.

The provider assessment will be kept under review and revised whenever necessary, including following a significant change in the individual’s needs. Following any revised provider assessment, the individual’s personal plan will be reviewed and revised as necessary.

The personal plan will be reviewed whenever required and at least every three months. Reviews will consider whether the individual’s nutritional and hydration needs are being met, whether identified risks remain appropriately managed and whether the individual’s personal outcomes, wishes and preferences continue to be reflected in the support provided.

6. Food Preparation and Menu Planning

Menus are prepared by the catering team in consultation with the Registered Manager and individuals using the service. Menus are rotated regularly and offer a variety of foods from all major food groups. Each meal includes options to accommodate dietary preferences, religious requirements, allergens, and special therapeutic diets (e.g. diabetic, low salt, fortified). Soft and modified texture diets are prepared in accordance with IDDSI guidelines following SLT recommendations. Kitchen staff receive training on food safety, nutrition, allergens, and cultural dietary needs. Meals are freshly prepared on site, using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients where possible. All food preparation areas meet hygiene standards and are subject to regular Environmental Health inspections.

6.1 Food Business Registration and Food Safety Management

{{org_field_name}} will ensure that each location at which food operations are carried out is appropriately registered as a food business with the relevant local authority in accordance with applicable food hygiene legislation. Where a new food operation is established, or where registration is otherwise required, registration will be completed within the statutory timescale and before food operations commence.

The service will put in place, implement and maintain permanent food safety management procedures based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, proportionate to the nature and size of the food operation.

Food safety controls will cover, as applicable:

• receipt and acceptance of food deliveries;
• safe storage of chilled, frozen, ambient and other food;
• prevention and control of contamination and cross-contamination;
• separation of raw and ready-to-eat food where required;
• preparation and cooking;
• cooling and reheating;
• temperature control;
• cleaning and disinfection;
• personal hygiene;
• allergen controls;
• management of food that is unsafe, contaminated or outside appropriate use-by dates;
• pest control;
• waste management; and
• corrective action where food safety controls are not achieved.

Records required by the service’s food safety management system will be completed accurately and retained in accordance with the applicable requirements.

Any food safety concern which may present a risk to an individual will be acted upon immediately. Where required, the service will seek advice from, cooperate with and act upon requirements issued by the relevant Environmental Health authority or other competent regulatory authority.

7. Safe Food Handling and Allergen Management

All food will be stored, prepared, handled and served safely and in accordance with the service’s food safety management procedures, applicable food hygiene legislation and relevant Food Standards Agency requirements.

HACCP-based food safety controls will be followed from receipt and storage of food through preparation, cooking, cooling, reheating and service. Staff must follow the control measures identified within the service’s food safety management system and take appropriate corrective action when required standards are not achieved.

Information about each individual’s known food allergies and intolerances will be recorded clearly in their personal plan and communicated to staff who purchase, prepare, handle, serve or support the individual with food and drink. Relevant information will also be available within the kitchen or other food preparation area in a form which enables staff to identify and meet the individual’s requirements safely.

The service will provide accurate information about the presence of the 14 allergens required to be declared under food information legislation where those allergens are used as ingredients. The regulated allergens are:

• celery;
• cereals containing gluten;
• crustaceans;
• eggs;
• fish;
• lupin;
• milk;
• molluscs;
• mustard;
• peanuts;
• sesame;
• soybeans;
• sulphur dioxide and sulphites at levels requiring declaration;
• tree nuts.

For non-prepacked food, allergen information will be made available in accordance with the applicable legal requirements. Where the information is not provided directly in writing, clear written information will be displayed or otherwise provided explaining how the individual or their representative can obtain accurate allergen information from a member of staff.

Where the service produces or supplies food which falls within the legal definition of prepacked for direct sale food, it will be labelled with the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with regulated allergenic ingredients appropriately emphasised in accordance with applicable food information legislation.

Allergen information must remain accurate when menus, recipes, ingredients, products or suppliers change. Staff must not rely on assumptions about the ingredients or allergen content of a food product. Ingredient and allergen information supplied by manufacturers or suppliers must be checked as necessary to ensure that the information provided to individuals remains accurate.

Reasonable controls will be implemented to prevent unintended allergen cross-contamination during storage, preparation, cooking and service. Where separate equipment, utensils, storage or preparation arrangements form part of the service’s assessed allergen-control measures, those arrangements must be followed.

Staff responsible for purchasing, preparing, handling or serving food will receive allergen information, instruction and training appropriate to their duties and must understand the action to take when an individual has a known or suspected food allergy.

Any suspected allergic reaction will be treated as a medical emergency where appropriate. Staff will follow the individual’s personal plan and emergency treatment instructions, obtain urgent medical assistance when required and record and report the incident in accordance with the service’s accident, incident and safeguarding procedures where applicable.

8. Meal Service and Support

Meal and snack times are designed to be inclusive, relaxed, and respectful. Individuals are supported to make choices about when, where, and with whom they eat. Staff offer assistance where needed, including help with positioning, feeding, prompting, or the use of adapted cutlery or crockery. Privacy is respected for individuals who wish to eat alone, and support is always delivered with dignity. A choice of drinks and snacks is available throughout the day, and hot and cold beverages are offered at regular intervals and on request. Hydration is monitored, especially for individuals with known risks of dehydration.

9. Monitoring Intake and Responding to Concerns

Where an individual is identified through assessment, professional advice, observation or changes in their health as being at risk of malnutrition, unintended weight loss, dehydration or otherwise compromised food or fluid intake, appropriate monitoring will be implemented and recorded in the individual’s personal plan.

Monitoring will be proportionate to the assessed level of risk and may include:

• food intake;
• fluid intake;
• weight and changes in weight;
• nutritional risk assessment scores;
• signs and symptoms of dehydration;
• appetite;
• swallowing ability;
• choking or coughing associated with eating or drinking;
• oral health;
• bowel function where relevant to nutritional or hydration management; and
• the effectiveness of prescribed nutritional or hydration interventions.

Where food or fluid intake is below the level identified as appropriate for the individual, or where weight loss, dehydration or another nutritional concern arises or persists, remedial action will be taken without avoidable delay.

Actions may include:

• offering preferred foods and drinks;
• increasing the frequency of meals, snacks or drinks;
• providing food fortification where this forms part of the agreed nutritional plan;
• providing additional assistance or supervision;
• reviewing positioning, equipment and the mealtime environment;
• reviewing oral health;
• reviewing the individual’s personal plan and risk assessment; and
• obtaining appropriate professional advice.

Where necessary, advice or assessment will be sought from the GP, dietitian, speech and language therapist, dentist or another relevant healthcare professional.

Any prescribed treatment, specialist diet, food preparation requirement, texture modification or fluid consistency recommended by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional will be followed and clearly recorded in the individual’s personal plan.

Staff will escalate concerns in accordance with the individual’s personal plan and the seriousness of the risk. Persistent or significant deterioration in nutritional or hydration status will not be managed solely by continuing food or fluid monitoring without appropriate review and remedial action.

Records of food and fluid intake, weight and other relevant monitoring must be accurate, sufficiently detailed and reviewed so that deterioration or recurring concerns can be identified and acted upon promptly.

10. Special Diets and Texture-Modified Food

Where an individual requires a prescribed or clinically recommended special diet, texture-modified food or altered fluid consistency, the requirement will be based on an appropriate assessment or recommendation from a suitably qualified healthcare professional and will be clearly recorded in the individual’s personal plan.

Where swallowing difficulties or dysphagia are identified or suspected, appropriate professional advice or assessment will be sought without avoidable delay. This will normally include referral to speech and language therapy where clinically appropriate.

Where the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework is used within an individual’s professional swallowing recommendations, the specified IDDSI food texture and/or drink thickness level will be clearly documented and followed consistently by care and catering staff.

Staff involved in preparing, serving or supporting an individual with texture-modified food or thickened fluids must have access to the individual’s current requirements and must not independently change the prescribed or recommended texture or fluid consistency.

Any observed change in swallowing ability, including coughing, choking, wet or altered voice after swallowing, difficulty managing food or fluids, recurrent chest infection, prolonged mealtimes or other signs of possible deterioration, will be reported promptly and appropriate clinical advice sought.

Where there is an immediate choking or aspiration concern, staff will take appropriate emergency action and obtain urgent medical assistance where required.

Texture-modified meals and specialist diets will be prepared and presented in a manner that meets the individual’s safety requirements whilst, as far as reasonably practicable, maintaining choice, nutritional value, dignity and enjoyment.

Any change recommended by a relevant healthcare professional will be documented promptly in the individual’s personal plan and communicated to all staff responsible for preparing, serving or supporting the individual with food and drink.

11. Cultural, Religious, and Personal Preferences

All meals and drinks provided respect the individual’s cultural, religious, and ethical beliefs. Vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, gluten-free, and other dietary requirements are catered for consistently and respectfully. Staff communicate with individuals and their families to understand preferences and ensure these are upheld. We make every effort to accommodate celebrations, fasting practices, and culturally significant foods.

12. Involving Individuals in Mealtimes

Where appropriate, individuals are invited to participate in mealtime planning, food preparation activities, and providing feedback on meals. Resident meetings include food-related discussions, and feedback is acted upon in menu development and kitchen practices. Where possible, individuals may be supported to prepare their own drinks or meals to promote independence.

13. Environmental Considerations

Dining areas are maintained to a high standard of cleanliness and comfort. Tables are attractively laid, and staff create a warm and respectful mealtime atmosphere. Noise is minimised, lighting is suitable, and seating arrangements accommodate individual needs. Assistance is provided discreetly and supportively to promote dignity.

14. Training and Competence

All staff receive training in basic food hygiene, nutrition and hydration awareness, recognising malnutrition, allergy awareness, and supporting individuals to eat and drink safely. Care staff working with people on special diets or at risk of choking receive IDDSI and dysphagia training. Competence is assessed during induction and as part of ongoing supervision.

15. Auditing and Quality Assurance

The Registered Manager will maintain arrangements for monitoring the safety, quality and effectiveness of food and drink provision within the service. The frequency and scope of operational audits will be proportionate to identified risks and the needs of individuals using the service.

Monitoring and auditing will include, where applicable:

• compliance with individual dietary requirements;
• food allergies and allergen controls;
• nutritional and hydration assessments;
• food and fluid monitoring records;
• weight monitoring and action taken following unintended weight loss;
• compliance with prescribed special diets;
• texture-modified food and fluid-consistency requirements;
• mealtime support;
• menu choice and availability;
• feedback from individuals;
• food hygiene and food safety records;
• kitchen cleanliness;
• temperature-control records;
• food safety management and HACCP controls;
• staff training and competence; and
• actions required following advice or inspection by Environmental Health or another competent authority.

Where monitoring identifies a risk, deficiency or failure to follow an individual’s personal plan, professional recommendation, food safety requirement or this policy, appropriate corrective action will be taken according to the seriousness of the risk and without avoidable delay.

The service will seek and consider the views of individuals about the quality of food, drink and mealtime support and will use relevant feedback to inform improvement. Where appropriate, feedback from representatives, staff, commissioners and other relevant persons will also be considered as part of the service’s wider quality assurance arrangements.

The Responsible Individual will ensure that food, nutrition and hydration matters relevant to the quality and safety of care are considered within the service’s statutory quality assurance arrangements. The quality of care and support must be reviewed as often as required and at least every six months in accordance with Regulation 80 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended.

Relevant findings, trends, concerns and improvement actions relating to food, nutrition and hydration will contribute to the quality of care review and any recommendations for improvement. Progress against identified improvement actions will be monitored and further action taken where improvements are not achieved.

16. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where necessary to ensure that it remains consistent with the service’s statement of purpose, the needs of individuals using the service and current legal and regulatory requirements.

An earlier review will take place where relevant following:

• a change in legislation or statutory guidance;
• a change in CIW requirements applicable to the service;
• a change in Food Standards Agency requirements applicable to the service;
• relevant advice or enforcement action from Environmental Health or another competent authority;
• a serious incident or recurring concern involving food, nutrition, hydration, swallowing or allergens;
• an identified deficiency arising from audit or quality assurance;
• changes to the nature of the service or the needs of individuals receiving care and support; or
• evidence that the policy is no longer effective or consistent with current requirements.

The Responsible Individual will ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for this policy and associated procedures to be kept up to date in accordance with the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended.

The Registered Manager will ensure that relevant staff have access to the current version of this policy, understand the requirements relevant to their role and are informed of material changes. Where a change affects an individual’s care or support, the individual’s personal plan, risk assessment and associated instructions will be reviewed and amended as necessary.

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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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