Tackling malnutrition in older people living at home in Scotland

Patients Association Nutrition Checklist


What is the Patients Association Nutrition Checklist?

The Patients Association Nutrition Checklist is a simple and easy to use questionnaire first published in December 2018. It helps to identify undernutrition in older people and aims to address the associated risks by offering guidance, advice and signposting for patients and staff working in health and social care.
The checklist has been tested and refined over a period of two years receiving positive feedback from patients and staff working in the health and social care sector.

How does it work?

The Patients Association Nutrition Checklist can be used in a wide range of settings to raise awareness of the risks of malnutrition and direct people to practical nutrition advice quickly and safely.
Our video demonstrates exactly how to use the checklist, as well as the key questions to ask an older person you may be concerned about and what appropriate action to take if someone is identified as being at risk



Is it effective?

A 2019 study has shown that the Patients Association Nutrition Checklist indicated acceptable agreement compared to 'MUST' screening in identifying risk of malnutrition. It also demonstrated potential for early identification of malnutrition risk in the community, including signposting to basic dietary advice and appropriate health and social care support.

Everyone who takes part in our Raising the Issue of Malnutrition training is taught how to use the Patients Association Nutrition Checklist. Here's what some of our participants have said about it:


What's next?

Download a copy of the Patients Association Nutrition Checklist.
Sign up for our Raising the Issue of Malnutrition Training.
Order our Malnutrition Toolkit.
View more Malnutrition Tools.
Learn about the Paperweight Armband Tool.