Malnutrition affects one in four people admitted to hospital.

However a new HIQA review has found that nutrition and hydration are not viewed as a priority in some hospitals.

Over 500 patients were consulted for the review in 41 different hospitals.

21% of facilities don’t have a system in place to screen for malnutrition risks.

In some cases patients who were not mobile and could not reach the water cooler were not routinely offered drinks.

There was also a lack of consistency in terms of the meals that were offered.