The administration of a blended diet via a gastrostomy tube to children with complex needs is an evolving area of practice. Healthcare professionals must provide guidance, promote best practice and optimise patient safety where patients and families choose a blended diet in preference to the prescribed commercial feed. The Aneurin Bevan Health University Health Board in Newport, Wales, took a collaborative approach, by working with parents as equal partners, to enable a child with complex needs to receive a blended diet at school. The development of a protocol and risk-assessed approach enabled the delivery of bespoke flexible care that met the holistic needs of the child and family and improved the child's quality of life. The initiative also led to positive outcomes for the school and wider community.
Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2017.e821
Correspondence Peer reviewThis article has been subject to open peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software
Received: 06 July 2016
Accepted: 13 March 2017
Published online: 29 June 2017
or
Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now
Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more