Course Introduction

Nutrition and hydration in care settings training is essential for supporting resident wellbeing, preventing malnutrition and dehydration, and meeting regulatory care standards.

This CPD accredited course from FlexiLearnHub provides care staff with practical, evidence-based guidance on nutrition, hydration, monitoring, and escalation within residential and nursing care environments.

Good nutrition and adequate hydration are fundamental to maintaining health, wellbeing, dignity and quality of life — particularly for individuals living in care environments.

Why Nutrition and Hydration Matter in Care Settings

For individuals receiving support in care homes, hospitals, or community services, the provision of balanced meals and regular fluids is far more than a daily routine. It is a vital component of person-centred care, safety and dignity.

Poor nutrition or inadequate hydration can lead to serious health risks, including malnutrition, dehydration, increased infection risk, delayed recovery and reduced quality of life.

This course explains why nutrition and hydration are core responsibilities for all care staff working in regulated care environments.

Who This Nutrition and Hydration Training Is For

This course is suitable for:

• Health and social care workers
• Care assistants and support staff
• Care managers and supervisors
• Anyone responsible for supporting the wellbeing of individuals in regulated care environments

No prior qualifications are required.

What You Will Learn in This Nutrition & Hydration Course

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Explain the principles of good nutrition and hydration and their impact on health and wellbeing
• Recognise the nutritional needs of different individuals, including older adults and those with specific health conditions
• Identify the signs of malnutrition and dehydration and apply appropriate interventions
• Demonstrate accurate monitoring, documentation and reporting practices
• Promote continuous improvement and reflective practice within care settings

This training complements our Dysphagia Awareness & IDDSI Framework (CPD) course.

Understanding Nutrition and Hydration Needs

Learners will explore the fundamental science of nutrition and hydration, including how individual needs can vary due to age, illness, disability or long-term conditions.

The course highlights the importance of supporting individual preferences, cultural requirements and clinical needs when assisting people with eating and drinking in care environments.

Identifying and Managing Malnutrition and Dehydration

This section focuses on recognising the early warning signs of malnutrition and dehydration and understanding when concerns should be escalated.

Learners will gain practical insight into screening, monitoring and interventions that support safe, effective and responsive care.

est Practice in Monitoring, Recording and Communication

Accurate monitoring and record-keeping are essential in care settings.

This course provides guidance on best practice for:

• documenting food and fluid intake
• communicating concerns clearly
• escalating issues appropriately
• working collaboratively with colleagues and healthcare professionals

These practices help support safe, consistent care and improved resident wellbeing.

Regulatory Frameworks and Professional Standards

This course aligns with national guidance and regulatory expectations, including:

• CQC Regulation 14 – Meeting Nutritional and Hydration Needs
• NHS Nutrition and Hydration Standards
• Guidance from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)

Understanding these frameworks helps learners support compliance, inspection readiness and high-quality care delivery.

Understanding these frameworks helps learners support compliance, inspection readiness, and high-quality care delivery.

Staff should also complete Food Safety & Hygiene Level 2 (CPD) training

View all Care Home Staff Training & CPD Courses.

Course Structure and Learning Approach

Throughout the programme, learners engage with structured modules that build progressively, helping them apply the principles of safe nutrition and hydration support in real-world care environments.

The course promotes reflective practice, professional awareness and continuous improvement.

This course is CPD accredited, supporting ongoing professional development for care staff.

Assessment, Access and Certification

Once all modules (videos) have been completed, learners may choose to take the multiple-choice knowledge quiz or revisit the course materials before attempting the assessment.

Learners receive 12 months access to the course from registration.

The quiz must be passed within 90 days of registration.

The quiz has a minimum pass mark of 80%.

Learners may retake the quiz as many times as required.

Upon successful completion, learners can download their CPD accredited certificate, which is valid for 2 years.

Getting Started

Please log in or register for a FlexiLearnHub account to begin this course. We wish you every success in completing your Nutrition and Hydration in Care Settings training.

This course works alongside our Dysphagia Awareness & IDDSI Framework (CPD) training, supporting safe nutrition, hydration and food texture modification for individuals with swallowing difficulties.

Learners may also benefit from our Food Safety & Hygiene Level 2 (CPD) course, which supports safe food handling and hygiene practices in care environments.

For care home managers and training leads, visit our Care Home Training page to view all recommended CPD courses and learning pathways.

Employers training multiple staff can manage HACCP Level 2 training through our automated group training system.

Important: How This Course Works

This course runs in linear mode.

Each lesson must be fully completed and marked complete before progressing.