{"id":735,"date":"2026-06-18T20:04:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T20:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hef.bda.uk.com\/?page_id=735"},"modified":"2026-10-17T22:44:55","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T22:44:55","slug":"735-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hef.bda.uk.com\/?page_id=735","title":{"rendered":"About ASCEND"},"content":{"rendered":"

About ASCEND<\/h2>\n\n\n
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ASCEND\u2014Assessing Paediatric Caseload Complexity and Enteral Nutrition Demand<\/strong>\u2014is developing evidence-based recommendations for safer staffing, caseloads and workloads in community paediatric dietetic services supporting children and young people receiving home enteral tube feeding (HETF).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The project was commissioned by the BDA Paediatric Specialist Group (PSG)<\/strong> and Dietitians Interested in Special Children (DISC)<\/strong>, with funding from the British Dietetic Association (BDA)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ASCEND is currently open to eligible contributors across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. We hope to include colleagues in the Republic of Ireland shortly, once the BDA has confirmed that all applicable requirements have been met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why is ASCEND needed?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What will the project do?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does ASCEND aim to achieve?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration | Song bird<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Why is ASCEND needed?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Home enteral tube feeding enables many children and young people with complex health needs to receive essential nutrition and hydration at home. Safe and effective support depends on dietetic services having sufficient capacity to provide timely, individualised care and respond when clinical, nutritional or wider circumstances change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The work extends well beyond direct clinical appointments. It includes monitoring growth and nutritional adequacy, adapting feeding plans, supporting transitions, educating families and caregivers, and coordinating with health, education and social care professionals. Travel, multidisciplinary liaison, safeguarding, governance, administration, training and service development are also essential, but may not be fully represented by conventional measures of clinical activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Services report increasing caseloads and patient complexity without consistent growth in workforce capacity. This can affect the timeliness and consistency of support for children and families while placing sustained pressure on the professionals delivering their care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What will the project do?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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ASCEND is inviting dietitians, dietetic support workers and service representatives from across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to contribute through two linked surveys:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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