24th February 2026
Southern Trust dietitians have shared their expertise in caring for acutely unwell older people, with a leading UK professional journal.
The February edition of the British Dietetics Association’s ‘Dietetics Today’, gives a first-hand insight into a day in the life of dietitians from the Trust’s Hospital at Home team.
The Southern Trust’s Hospital at Home service was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland when it was set up as a pilot in 2014. Since then, it has continued to develop and expand, transforming the way unscheduled care is offered to older people.
Led by a consultant geriatrician, the team of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals treat acutely unwell patients aged over 65 in their own home, nursing or residential homes.
Admissions to the service continue to increase, last year they cared for 3,780 patients, up to 60 people each day, who would otherwise need inpatient care.
The service’s three dietitians Stephanie McCann, Cúshla Kelly and Louise Sharpe play a key role as part of a 150 strong, multidisciplinary team.
Stephanie explains: “Good nutritional care is important for everyone, but particularly older adults when they are unwell, as they are at risk of complications such as malnutrition, dehydration and frailty.
“We are very proud that the Southern area was the first Hospital at Home service in Northern Ireland to recruit dietitians, which shows the real value of optimum nutrition in influencing recovery.”
Cushla adds: “It is a real privilege to work as part of a full multi-disciplinary team, each contributing our own professional knowledge to provide holistic care to acutely unwell older adults in their own home, who would traditionally have been assessed and cared for on a busy hospital ward”.
The four-page spread in the well-known publication highlights the importance of good nutritional care for older patients and discusses the challenges and rewards of caring for acutely ill patients in a community setting.
Louise says: “Hospital at home really is a unique and exciting role for a dietitian. An inpatient admission can be stressful for anyone, particularly for an older person who may be less mobile, or for those who have cognitive impairment. There are also potential risks for patients from a prolonged hospital stay such as infection, delirium and deconditioning muscle strength. We hope that by offering high-quality care in their own home environment we will promote a better quality of life for our older population, avoiding more hospital admissions and freeing up beds in our very busy acute hospitals when it is safe to do so.”
Members of the British Dietetics Association can read the article in full in the February edition of Dietetics Today magazine – BDA
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Photo caption:
Southern Trust Hospital at Home Dietitians Stephanie McCann, Cúshla Kelly and Louise Sharpe.