Chair's update

As we move into Spring there is clearly no letting up in the work undertaken by the PENG Committee and Clinical Leads, whose drive and commitment is reflected in the momentum with which they undertake tasks, to help you in your own roles and, ultimately, support you throughout this new membership year.

This edition of ePENlines brings you updates from the Committee, Clinical Leads and colleagues, including news regarding the launch of the PENG Dietetic Outcomes Toolkit (DOT), a report from our first PENG Research Award winner Mel Baker and the fundraising and novel filming of ‘life on a nasogastric feed’, undertaken by Sean White our Clinical Lead for Home Enteral Feeding.

It was great to be a part of the PENG break-out session at BDA Live (Westminster, London, March 2016) and witness PENG making an impact with a very well attended break-out session, attracting in the region of 100 delegates. Thank you to all who organised, participated and attended making the session on outcomes vibrant and engaging.

Work is now underway planning PENG’s contribution to the BAPEN Annual Conference to be held in Brighton on 7th- 9th November 2016. PENG will be specifically hosting a day on extended practice for dietitians on 7th November. This will be followed by the BAPEN multidisciplinary sessions on 8th and 9th November.

Our Clinical Update Lead Alison Culkin and Tutors are busy preparing for the residential course scheduled for June in Edinburgh, which has an excellent sign-up of delegates to date.

As this latest e-PENlines reaches you, we will have added a new patient resource on Parenteral Nutrition, to our website, extending our range of resources for all to access.

As Ann Ashworth and Jo Wheeler step down from the Committee positions I would like to thank them for their exceptional contributions to PENG in their roles as Secretary and Ordinary Member. I am delighted to welcome our new Committee Members Paula Young, Linda Cantwell and Bruno Mafrici who bring expertise, fresh ideas and are already making a significant difference to the outputs of PENG. Thank you also to those Committee Members and Leads who remain dedicated to the purpose. Please do take a look at the current Committee Members and Clinical Leads in this latest e-PENlines and make contact with them when needed.

I hope you enjoy this latest e-PENlines collated by Kate Hall our Communications Officer, who I would like to congratulate on her recent appointment to BAPEN Communications Officer. In this role Kate will be able to encourage the sharing of news across the multidisciplinary members, will undoubtedly bring cohesion across all the Core Groups and Committees of BAPEN and will be a strong advocate for dietetics in her place on the BAPEN Executive team. Don't forget too that many of your PENG Committee Members and Leads have a role in BAPEN ensuring we continue to contribute and influence the outputs of BAPEN.

Finally, thank you for choosing to join PENG either as a new member or rejoin this new membership year. May I encourage you all as members to make the most of your membership by engaging in the virtual discussion forums (the Home Enteral Feeding Network and the Home Parenteral Nutrition forums), along with emailing any of the Committee Members and leads to voice your concerns, raise issues, celebrate your successes and share best practice.

For now enjoy the latest ePENlines.

Best wishes

Anne Holdoway

Chair – PENG

On behalf of the PENG committee, Clinical Leads and Professional Links