Assisted Eating And Drinking

Course Overview

Assisted Eating and Drinking Awareness Training gives care staff practical, person-centred guidance on how to support individuals with their nutrition and hydration safely, respectfully & in line with care plans.

This course supports good practice aligned to the expectations of Care Quality Commission (CQC) Regulation 14 (Meeting nutritional and hydration needs), including making sure people have enough to eat and drink and get the support they need to do so.

You’ll look at what “good support” really means in day-to-day care: positioning, pace, dignity, choice, recording intake properly, recognising concerns early, and escalating appropriately when someone is unsafe or at risk.

Course Details

Duration: Typically 3 hours
Delivery: In-person at your venue, or live online via Zoom / Microsoft Teams
Certificate: Certificate of achievement in Assisted Eating and Drinking
Group size: Flexible for team training

Who This Course Is For

This course is ideal for anyone who supports people with eating and drinking, including:

Care assistants and support workers (care homes, supported living, domiciliary care)
Personal Assistants (PAs) working with an Individual Employer
New starters completing the Care Certificate
Staff supporting individuals with dementia, frailty, poor appetite, reduced mobility, or swallowing concerns
Anyone responsible for monitoring food and fluid intake and reporting concerns

No previous qualifications are required.

Why This Training Is Important

In regulated care services, nutrition and hydration are not optional extras. Poor intake can quickly impact physical health, mood, skin integrity, infection risk, wound healing, falls risk, and overall wellbeing.

CQC Regulation 14 is clear that people must have adequate nutrition and hydration and receive the support they need. Training helps your team apply that properly in real life, not just “know it on paper”.

It also links directly to Care Certificate Standard 8 (Fluids and Nutrition), which focuses on recognising poor nutrition/hydration and supporting people in line with their care plan.

What You Will Learn

By the end of the session, learners will be able to:

Support individuals to make informed food and drink choices (preferences, culture, dignity)
Recognise common eating and drinking difficulties and associated risks (including choking and aspiration)
Provide practical mealtime support safely (pace, prompting, encouragement, independence)
Use adaptive utensils and aids appropriately
Monitor and record intake clearly using food/fluid charts
Use screening/monitoring tools such as MUST (as appropriate to role and setting)
Recognise when to escalate concerns to senior staff or healthcare professionals

Course Content

Content can be adapted to your setting, but typically includes:

What safe, person-centred mealtime support looks like
Dignity, choice, consent, and supporting independence
Preparing for mealtimes: environment, timing, distractions, and communication
Positioning and basic practical techniques for assisting with eating and drinking
Recognising and responding to concerns
Recording intake properly (food/fluid charts, escalation notes, care plan alignment)
When to escalate and who to involve (GP, SALT, dietitian, district nursing, internal leads)
The role of risk assessment and care planning in safe mealtime support

How the Course Is Delivered

Training is clear, supportive, and practical, with a focus on what staff actually do at mealtimes.

Depending on the format and time available, sessions can include:

Demonstrations and practical discussion
Scenario-based learning based on common care situations
Time for questions so staff leave confident (not guessing)

Certification & Validity

On completion, learners receive a certificate of achievement in Assisted Eating and Drinking Awareness.

In-House & Bespoke Training

This course works best when it reflects your service users and your policies.

We can tailor delivery to include:

Your documentation and how you record intake
Your escalation routes and internal roles
Common challenges you’re seeing (poor appetite, dementia-related mealtime difficulties, refusal, fatigue)
A stronger practical focus if your team regularly provides hands-on assistance

Course Location & Service Areas

We deliver in-house training at your workplace or chosen venue, tailored to your needs and schedule. This flexible approach removes the need to send staff off-site for essential learning.

Our experienced trainers deliver courses across Manchester and Greater Manchester, supporting organisations throughout the North West.

We also provide on-site training throughout England, covering major cities, towns, and regions nationwide, including North England, South England, London, and Surrey.

For added flexibility, this course is also available remotely via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, making it ideal for teams based in multiple locations or working remotely.

Wherever and however the training is delivered, all sessions are led by experienced Prima Cura Training instructors and meet the same high standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as Dysphagia training?
Not exactly. This course focuses on safe assisted eating/drinking and mealtime support. Dysphagia training goes deeper into swallowing difficulties and related clinical risks. Many organisations run both.

Do staff need previous training?
No. This course is suitable for new starters and experienced staff who want a refresher.

Will you cover MUST and food/fluid charts?
Yes, we cover monitoring and recording intake, and how tools like MUST are used in practice (appropriate to role and setting). We are happy to incorporate your own specific documentation into the course.

Is the course suitable for domiciliary care?
Yes. We include practical, realistic approaches for supporting people safely in their own home, including documenting and escalation.

Can you tailor this to our service users?
Yes. We can adapt scenarios and examples to your setting, client group, and internal processes.

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Book or Enquire

To book Assisted Eating and Drinking Awareness Training or request a quote for your team, use the enquiry form on this page or contact us directly.

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Assisted Eating and Drinking