In 2003, whilst at the University of Southampton I co-created ‘MUST’ with Professor Marinos Elia on behalf of the Malnutrition Action Group of BAPEN.

Since then it has become the cornerstone of adult malnutrition screening across the UK. Today, it is embedded in routine practice throughout hospitals, community services and care homes, supported by national guidance and endorsed by leading professional bodies.

In 2015 we subsequently created a version of MUST for self screening to be used by patients, carers and the general population.

What has been especially rewarding is seeing MUST adopted far beyond the UK. Its simplicity, strong evidence base and adaptability have led to widespread use across Europe and in many countries worldwide, where it is now applied in clinical care, public health programmes and research. The global uptake of MUST reflects a shared recognition that early, accurate identification of malnutrition is essential to improving outcomes for patients everywhere.

Learn more about MUST by visiting the BAPEN website.