Enteral feeding tubes provide access to the stomach or jejunum (small intestine).

They are used in cases where there is an obstruction or difficulty in swallowing.

Use of enteral feeding tubes ties in to Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Regulation 14.

The intention of this regulation is to make sure that people who use services have adequate nutrition and hydration to sustain life and good health and reduce the risks of malnutrition and dehydration while they receive care and treatment.

To meet this regulation, where it is part of their role, providers must make sure that people have enough to eat and drink to meet their nutrition and hydration needs and receive the support they need to do so.

People must have their nutritional needs assessed and food must be provided to meet those needs. This includes where people are prescribed nutritional supplements and/or parenteral nutrition. People’s preferences, religious and cultural backgrounds must be taken into account when providing food and drink.

Whilst it is generally acknowledged that there may be inherent risks in carrying out care and treatment, it would not be considered to be unsafe if the service can demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of people with enteral tube feeding, and to manage risks that may arise during care practice, and that the service is able to provide evidence that that staff are assessed as competent and able to show that action has been taken if problems have been identified.

CQC are able to prosecute for a breach of this regulation or a breach of part of the regulation if a failure to meet the regulation results in avoidable harm to a person using the service or a person using the service is exposed to significant risk of harm. In these instances, CQC can move directly to prosecution without first serving a warning notice. Additionally, CQC may also take any other regulatory action.

This audit tool will allow you to audit your management, storage, administration, management of equipment and clinical practice in relation to PEG Enteral tubes.