This booklet is for adult patients and/or carers of adult patients who are being discharged from hospital with a feeding tube. It provides information on the service that will provide support (relating to tube feeding) after discharge from the ward.
What is the Leeds Adult Acute HEF Service?
It is a service which provides specialist dietetic and nursing support. It is a service for patients living at home who have a feeding tube.
The Leeds Adult Acute HEF team includes:
- Specialist dietitians
- Clinical nurse specialists (CNS) in tube feeding
We work closely with medical teams in the hospital. We also work closely with the company who provide your feeds and feeding equipment.
What do we do for you?
- We support and monitor your feeding (nutrition) needs
- We educate you on your feeding tube and equipment
- We give advice to you on looking after the skin around your feeding tube
- We provide nutrition support to you after discharge from hospital
- We support you with any emotional and/or social aspects of enteral feeding
When will I see a member of the Leeds Adult Acute HEF Team?
We aim to meet all patients new into the service on the ward, before discharge home. A few days after you have been discharged from the ward we will telephone you.
We will ask if there are any concerns or queries with your feeding at home.
We will book a clinic appointment at the hospital or arrange a telephone review. Your appointment will usually be within four weeks of your hospital discharge.
At this appointment you will see a specialist dietitian (and a nurse specialist if it’s a face to face clinic appointment and required) to review your tube feeding. We will then agree your next appointment to review your nutrition and tube feeding.
Important
If you are unable to attend your appointment please let us know using the contact details provided.
What will happen during a review?
By agreeing to be seen by the Leeds Adult Acute HEF Team we will assume that you are consenting to treatment from us.
We will always discuss any treatment with you and agree an appropriate plan to best meet your needs.
We may discuss the following with you during a review:
- Your enteral feeding regimen
- Any food and drinks you may be taking by mouth (orally)
- Your weight
- Your bowel habits
- Your enteral feeding tube site/the skin around your tube
- Your feeding equipment supplies
- Any symptoms you are experiencing
- Lifestyle changes and social impact of your feeding tube
- Your mental health and well being
What will happen after a review
We will use the information gathered during the appointment to write a report for your medical records. This will help professionals involved in your care to be aware of your nutritional status and needs.
Review appointments will be booked by the administration team. You can see future appointments on the NHS app. If you no longer require enteral feeding, the Leeds Adult Acute HEF Team will discuss discharge from the service with you. If you need ongoing support from a dietitian we will discuss referral to another dietetic team with you.
When to contact us?
It is important to contact us as soon as you become aware of any problems or changes relating to:
- Your feed
- Your feeding tube
- Your stoma site, if you have a gastrostomy (feeding tube into your stomach) or jejunostomy (feeding tube into your small bowel)
Please let us know if you are being admitted to hospital. We will speak to the ward/hospital dietitians about your usual feeding plan.
Important
Please contact us if you feel that you need to be seen sooner than your next scheduled appointment.
Contact details
Leeds Adult Acute HEF Team
If we are unable to take your call please leave a message on our answer machine, giving your name, date of birth and NHS number (if known). Telephone messages and emails will be checked regularly during office hours and someone will respond to you as soon as possible.
Our service hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm (except bank holidays).
Out of hours
If you need help outside of the Leeds Adult Acute HEF Team office hours, please call your enteral feeding company 24 hour advice line for advice/support from specialist nurse advisors. Alternatively contact your hospital medical team, your GP or 111 for advice.
Where else can I get support?
The support group PINNT offer support and advice to patients (and their carers) at home receiving enteral feeding.
PINNT
A support and advocacy group for those at home receiving parenteral (intravenous) or enteral (tube) feeding.