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.
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 basic science of nutrition and hydration and how individual needs can vary due to age, illness, disability, or long-term conditions. The course highlights the importance of meeting individual preferences, cultural requirements, and clinical needs when supporting eating and drinking.
Identifying and Managing Malnutrition and Dehydration
This section focuses on recognising early warning signs of malnutrition and dehydration and understanding when concerns should be escalated. Learners will gain insight into screening, monitoring, and practical interventions that support safe and effective care.
Best 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, and working collaboratively with colleagues and healthcare professionals to support individual 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.
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 will engage with structured modules that build progressively, ensuring confidence in applying principles of good nutrition and hydration in real-world care settings. The course promotes reflective practice and continuous improvement.
This course is CPD accredited, supporting ongoing professional development.
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.
Licensing Information
This course contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
© Crown copyright.
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.
Please allow each video to play fully and click “Mark Complete” before moving to the next lesson.
The quiz will unlock once all lessons are completed.
You must log in and have started this course to submit a review.
