To mark Nutrition and Hydration Week, the Nutrition & Dietetics team at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is hosting a series of conferences for care home staff across County Durham and Darlington.

These events aim to highlight common challenges in nutrition and hydration within care settings while providing practical solutions to enhance resident care.

Conferences Across the Region

Advanced Specialist Dietitian, Rachael Masters, and the team will lead six events at key locations, including:

  • Darlington Memorial Hospital

  • Chester-le-Street Cricket Club

  • Bishop Auckland Football Club

These sessions will focus on practical strategies to enhance nutrition in care homes, sharing best practices that improve health outcomes for residents.

Key topics covered include:

  • Undernutrition in care homes – Identifying and addressing malnutrition.

  • Developing high-quality nutritional care plans – Tailoring meals to residents' needs.

  • Hydration and fluid boosters – Encouraging better fluid intake.

  • Dysphagia: Ensuring safe practices – Supporting residents with swallowing difficulties.

  • Sustainability in nutritional supplements – Reducing waste while maintaining quality care.

Specialist Equipment for Care Homes

As part of CDDFT’s ongoing commitment to improving care, the team is pleased to announce that, through their partnership with the Care Academy, they have secured funding to provide specialist fork equipment to care homes.

This equipment will assist catering staff in easily assessing food texture and softness, ensuring meals align with IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) guidelines for safer eating practices.

A Legacy of Partnership

CDDFT's Nutrition and Dietetics team was the first in the country to establish this kind of service, setting a precedent that has since been adopted by other organisations.

This year marks 25 years of community collaboration, working closely with care homes to improve nutrition and hydration standards.

Many attendees at this year's conferences have been part of this journey since the original pilot project 25 years ago - a testament to the strong relationships and lasting impact of this work.

By continuing to share expertise and drive innovation, the team remains dedicated to enhancing the quality of care for residents across County Durham and Darlington.