Home Enteral Nutrition Service

Contact us

0300 123 7058
kentchft.hen@nhs.net
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm

Abbott Hospital2Home 24hr care line
08000 183 799

Nutricia nurse 24-hour care line
0845 762 3613

Who we are

The Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) team comprises of paediatric and adult dietitians, dietetic assistants and administration support. The service is available for adults and children registered with an east or west Kent GP Practice.

What we do

We provide assessment and continuing support for patients with enteral feeding in the community. Patients are seen at home or in an appropriate community setting.

Enteral feeding involves providing complete liquid nutrition to patients who are unable to meet their nutritional requirements from oral nutrition. This may be because they are unable to physically eat and/or drink due to an obstruction/surgery/treatment, they have an unsafe swallow or because they have high nutritional requirements which cannot be met from an oral diet.

Working with an out-of-area specialist team

We can also work with your specialist out-of-area team, to support you with your dietetic care needs. We can support you with basic tube care, equipment and feed ordering needs, however, any in depth clinical care, including changes to your nutritional requirements and feeding plans will remain with your out-of-area specialist team.

We will contact you once you have been discharged from your acute specialist hospital.

Your specialist team will have arranged with us what you need to meet you nutritional requirements at home, the first seven to 14 days of feed and ancillary equipment.

You will then be contacted twice a year by us to review your equipment and feeding regime. We work closely with the enteral feeding company and will discuss the delivery service you receive.

Please inform us if there are any changes, advised by your specialist team, so we can make adjustments to your feeds and/or equipment.

How will I be supplied so I can feed at home?

Nutricia Homeward is the home nutrition support service of Nutricia, the company which manufactures and delivers the feeds and equipment we use with our patients in east Kent.

Abbott is the Hospital to Home Service company who manufacture and deliver the feeds and equipment we use in west Kent.

Following your first delivery, the feed company will call you every 28 days to arrange the next delivery and make sure you have all the feeds and equipment required for the month.

Nutricia or Abbott nurses work closely with us and can provide training and practical support to help you manage your feeding at home with confidence.

How do you use this service?

You need to be referred by a GP or healthcare professional to use this service.

If you are a GP or Health Care Professional and would like to make a referral, please use our CND HEN referral form.

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May 2023
Sevenoaks

A pleasant and informative appointment, lots of useful information to use.

May 2023
Deal

Exceptional nursing, always very informative and clearly explained. Meetings were on time and all information discussed was relevant and helpful.

May 2023
Sevenoaks

Given reassurance about my feeding tube and changed my feed regime to suit me.

May 2023
Hythe

Excellent service with great communication.

April 2023
Snodland

With Vicky's support I've been able to have my feeding tube removed. She has been in regular contact and given me confidence to improve my eating.

April 2023
Faversham

Very supportive and understanding. Beth explained everything to me in detail before she did it. I felt like I always had someone to ask any questions I had in emails and at my appointments.

April 2023
Whitstable

The team have been kind and responsive.

March 2023
Folkestone

I am very satisfied with the service I received, it was excellent.

March 2023
Broadstairs

Friendly staff. everything explained as to what was going on. Prompt replys to any questions that I asked.

January 2023
Canterbury

I understand whatever is being explained to me. Staff members have always been nice. Everyone has been so helpful and friendly.

January 2023
Ashford

The HEN have so helpful through my journey and give amazing care. Whenever I email with concerns they are very quick to reply with a phone call and also organising a quick tube replacement.

January 2023
Tunbridge Wells

Jo has been my contact for 18 months and never fails to deliver a brilliant service. She listens, has a sense of humour and genuinely cares. She is helping me with a problem with my peg tube at present.

December 2022
Hythe

Good concern for patient wellbeing.

June 2022
Canterbury

Every member of team was so helpful and understanding about my condition.

June 2022
Aylesford

Vicky was really professional and she was really a great help and went the extra mile to assist me in a very difficult time.

May 2022
Tonbridge

Informative and gives us peace of mind.

April 2022
Canterbury

Reliable, punctual, helpful, supportive and friendly service.

February 2022
Folkestone

Always very helpful with any concern or problem.

March 2022
Canterbury

You are always helpful and prompt in replying to any queries and worries.

December 2021
Larkfield

Efficient service. Always have support when needed and have good response with any problems.

December 2021
Tunbridge Wells

Staff very helpful and professional. Never make you feel they are in a hurry. Have time to discuss everything.

December 2021
Ashford

Lyn is very caring and speaks to me with great understanding.

December 2021
Tonbridge

Jo is a very pleasant person who is friendly, helpful and very knowledgable. She is very patient , open to discussion and kind.

December 2021
Folkestone

I was given all the info I needed from start to finish. I was treated with respect and empathy from everyone I spoke to. The help I needed was just a phone call away.

December 2021
Deal

Whenever I need help I get it. If I leave a message someone always gets back to me.

November 2021
Canterbury

Bethany was very professional and thorough.

December 2021
Dover

Your professionalism and kindness is very much appreciated.

November 2022
Maidstone

Knowledge and understanding from the clinician.

October 2022
Herne Bay

Very informative and caring. Every question was answered and every problem solved.

October 2022
Sevenoaks

Excellent experience, calls answered promptly and dietitian was very knowledgeable.

September 2022
Folkestone

Dietitians have explained to me in a way that I understand. Very polite and helpful.

September 2022
Ashford

They provide us with information that is helpful to us. Friendly clinicians who are willing to listen and answer our questions appropriately. Staff are always professional.

September 2022
Margate

Very helpful staff member. Easy access. Pleasant surroundings.