This paper explores the impact of placing Community Mental Health Nurses (CMHNs) at two primary care practices in South Staffordshire. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire which was sent to primary care personnel at these practices, to ascertain their opinions with respect to the contribution of practice-based CMHNs. Overall, primary care personnel were satisfied with the quality of the service received from the CMHNs, especially in terms of improved communication. They felt that the new arrangements enabled a quicker and more efficient access to the services of the CMHN. The results are discussed in terms of the value of having CMHNs within the primary care setting, and in terms of service planning and future recommendations for mental health services within primary care.

K. (2020) Communication skills teaching for student dietitians using experiential learning and simulated patients.

Objective: Acculturation to the UK diet may contribute to the increased burden of non-communicable diseases in Black British communities. The present study aimed to assess nutritional composition and the contribution that traditional foods make to dietary intake in a group of UK-residing Caribbean and West African adults and to explore differences according to ethnicity and duration of residence. Design: Observational study. Dietary intake was assessed using multiple, standardised triple-pass 24 h recalls and analysed using a nutritional composition database. Associations between sociodemographic variables and duration of residence with dietary intake were assessed using ANCOVA. Setting: London, UK, October 2011-December 2012. Subjects: UK adults of Caribbean (n 50) or West African (n 83) ancestry, aged 18-75 years. Results: The Caribbean participants were older and more likely to be born in the UK. After adjusting for age, sex and ethnicity, those who had been resident in the UK for the longest duration had significantly higher intakes of energy (P < 0·001), fat (P = 0·002) and Na (P = 0·03). The West African participants sourced significantly more energy (P = 0·04), fat (P = 0·02), saturated fat (P = 0·02) and Na (P = 0·001) from traditional cultural foods compared with the Caribbean diet, which was more reliant on 'Westernised' foods such as sugar-sweetened beverages. Conclusions: These results are novel in demonstrating dietary acculturation in UK adults of Caribbean and West African ancestry. We have provided detailed data regarding the role of traditional foods, presenting dietary information that may guide in individualising care for patients from these communities and improve the cultural sensitivity of public health strategies.

A significant variation in the methods used by dietitians to estimate the energy requirements was found, particularly in the obese patient group. In an age of rapidly increasing rates of obesity a professional consensus of treatment of this patient group is needed.

BackgroundDietary acculturation may contribute to the increased burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in diasporic populations of African ancestry.ObjectiveTo assess nutritional composition and the contribution that traditional foods make to the diets of native and UK-dwelling Ghanaian adults.DesignAn observational study of Ghanaian adults living in Accra (n=26) and London (n=57) was undertaken. Three-day food records were translated to nutrient data using culturally sensitive methods and comparisons were made for energy, macronutrients, and dietary fibre between cohorts. The contribution of traditional foods to dietary intake was measured and the foods contributing to each nutrient were identified.ResultsCompared to native Ghanaians, UK-Ghanaians derived a significantly higher proportion of energy from protein (16.9±3.9 vs. 14.1±2.8%, p=0.001), fat (29.9±7.9 vs. 24.4±8.5%, p=0.005), and saturated fat (8.5±3.4 vs. 5.8±3.7%, p<0.001) and a significantly lower energy from carbohydrate (52.2±7.7 vs. 61.5±9.3%, p<0.001). Dietary fibre intake was significantly higher in the UK-Ghanaian diet compared to the native Ghanaian diet (8.3±3.1 vs. 6.7±2.2 g/1,000 kcal, p=0.007). There was significantly less energy, macronutrients, and fibre derived from traditional foods post-migration. Non-traditional foods including breakfast cereals, wholemeal bread, and processed meats made a greater contribution to nutrient intake post-migration.ConclusionsOur findings show the migrant Ghanaian diet is characterised by significantly higher intakes of fat, saturated fat, and protein and significantly lower intakes of carbohydrate; a macronutrient profile which may promote increased risk of NCDs amongst UK-Ghanaians. These differences in the nutrient profile are likely to be modulated by the consumption of ‘Western’ foods observed in migrant communities.