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Nutritional support nurses will address ‘a basic need’ in North Lincolnshire and Goole

Charlie Ellis and Hannah Crichton say good nutrition helps patients to recover faster
Charlie Ellis & Hannah Crichton

Charlie Ellis and Hannah Crichton say good nutrition helps patients to recover faster


Nutritional support nurses Charlie Ellis and Hannah Crichton

Two specialist nurses have been employed to ensure patients’ nutritional needs are met in hospitals run by Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust.

Charlie Ellis and Hannah Crichton will work as nutritional support nurses at hospitals in Scunthorpe and Goole, and the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby. They will be the first such specialists to be assigned in the areas.

Nutritional care will benefit a variety of patients

The nurses expect to be working with patients who have a variety of complex needs, including those who are nil by mouth, people with dementia, individuals requiring tube feeding, patients with cancer, people who have difficulty swallowing, and individuals at the end of life. 

They will also work with patients’ families, and fellow nurses and staff, to provide guidance on nutrition.

Ms Ellis said nutrition plays a vital part in many patients’ health and recovery. 

‘People who are malnourished lose muscle mass, so it takes longer for them to heal,’ she said. ‘It is then easier for them to get infections, which results in more time spent in hospital.

‘Good nutrition helps people recover more quickly.’

Service will not focus solely on physical benefits

Ms Crichton said good nutrition also enhances patients’ emotional and psychological well-being. 

‘It is a basic need,’ she added. 

Ms Crichton previously worked in the endoscopy unit at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, while Ms Ellis worked in the intensive care unit at Scunthorpe Hospital.


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