Nearly a third (29.4 per cent) of nurses are not confident a hospital would notice if an elderly relative of theirs entered in a malnourished state.
The results of the survey carried out by Age UK, the new organisation which combines Age Concern and Help The Aged, have sparked fresh concerns that older people may be left hungry when in hospital.
Michelle Mitchell, charity director at Age UK, said: 'It’s extremely worrying that nurses still don’t feel confident that a fundamental problem such as malnourishment will be picked up when an older person enters hospital.
"While recognition of the issue is high, not enough is being done to ensure that words are transferring into action on the wards."
She added that it is very important for the government and NHS trusts to tackle this serious issue and address the problem quickly.
Age UK aims to improve later life for everyone through information and advice, campaigns, products, training and research.
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