Tougher approach on hospital food

Published: 15 October 2012

Tougher approach on hospital food

Published: 15 October 2012

Tough new standards setting out what patients should expect from NHS hospital food was announced today by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

A set of basic principles covering the quality of food, nutritional content and choice for patients will be published alongside guidance for all hospitals, which will be backed up by new inspections led by patients.

The Government has teamed up with charities and professional bodies, including Age UK, the Patients Association and the Royal College of Nursing, to drive up standards.  The quality of food received while in hospital is an essential part of good care and ensuring patients are treated with dignity and respect. The culture of care across the NHS, particularly for the most vulnerable such as the elderly, is a top priority for the new Health Secretary.

The new drive includes:

• Clear directions for hospitals on reducing fat and salt, including more fruit and vegetables on the menu and making sure food is bought in an environmentally sustainable way.

• Eight clear principles the NHS must follow for patient food.

• New patient-led hospital inspections to make sure these principles are followed and standards actually improve.

Teams of inspectors, half of which must be patients themselves, have now started pilot inspections across the country looking at aspects of food that are important to patients – including taste, quality, temperature and the cleanliness of ward kitchens. Financial incentives for hospitals who deliver exceptional service are also being explored.

Food is a key part of the new inspections but they will also cover cleanliness, privacy and dignity as well as the state of the hospital environment in general.

Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt said:

“Patients should be treated with dignity and respect. They have the right to expect food that is of high quality and healthy – and that it has been prepared in a clean kitchen.

“There are lots of hospitals already doing this, but in some places, the NHS falls short. Patients deserve the highest standards, and by making sure they lead the inspections, we will put their experience at the heart of improving the NHS.”

The eight fundamental food principles, supported by Age UK, Patients Association, Hospital Caterers Association, Royal College of Nursing, Soil Association, British Association of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the British Dietetic Association, set out what patients can expect from good hospital food:

• Nutritious and appetising hospital food and drink is essential
• Patients get a choice from a varied menu – including meals suitable for religious needs
• All patients should have access to fresh drinking water at all times, unless it contradicts clinical advice
• Food and drink should be available at all times, not just planned mealtimes
• Hospitals should promote healthy diets to staff and visitors
• The Government Buying Standards for Food should be adopted as standard whenever possible
• Hospitals should regularly check with patients if their food is up to scratch and act on feedback
• The NHS as a whole should look for and reward excellence in hospital food

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the RCN, said:

“Hospital food can often have a very significant impact on the speed of recovery, susceptibility to infection and mental and physical wellbeing. Hospital food doesn’t just need to be healthy – it also needs to be fresh and enticing enough to tempt patients who may not feel hungry. Giving patients the ability to choose their food is a welcome move, which already works well at many hospitals. These principles should help hospitals to procure good food, cost effectively. We also recognise how important it is for patients to have ready access to drinks. Aside from this, the experience of nurses shows that there are other factors which can help patients with their nutrition – for instance, keeping wards quiet during ward rounds, and involving family members where possible. These principles should help the NHS to roll-out good practice wherever a patient is treated.”

The new inspections will mean that patients will be the ones in control and they will now be able to hold hospitals to account for the quality of food they serve up. Hospitals will be marked down if food is poor quality, if menus do not have suitable options for patients with special requirements (such as vegetarians or patients with religious needs), and if hot meals are not provided in the evenings.

The full programme of inspections is expected to start next April, after the pilot results have been examined. Hospitals will receive a rating on each area at the end of their inspection, and the results will be published online.

Notes to editors

• For further information, please contact Alasdair Gee in the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5703.

The full fundamental food principles are:

• Nutritious and appetising hospital food and drink is an essential part of the personal package of care and hospitals should take all reasonable steps to ensure that patients have a healthy food experience
• All patients should be able to choose from a reasonably varied menu that meets their social and religious needs whilst complementing their clinical care requirements
• All patients should have access at all times to fresh drinking water, unless this is contraindicated by their clinical condition
• Access to food and drink outside planned mealtimes should be available where appropriate
• Hospitals should promote a healthy diet to their staff and visitors.  
• The criteria set out in the Government Buying Standards for Food should be adopted as standard where practical and supported by procurement practices
• Hospitals should regularly evaluate their food services and act on feedback from patients, demonstrating improvement and aiming to achieve and maintain excellence
• Commissioners of NHS-funded care should seek and reward excellence in hospital food when contracting services

CASE STUDIES/ADDITIONAL SPOKESPEOPLE

Some hospitals have already taken steps to include the quality of food they provide – case studies for further exploration:

• Northumberland Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has begun using a colour, picture menu following feedback that many older patients, sometimes with dementia would order the last thing on the menu as they found it difficult to remember the other options.  A trial of the system showed a drastic increase in the amount of food being eaten by vulnerable elderly patients;

• The Royal Cornwall Hospital have improved the quality of food for their patients by increasing their use of fresh, organic and local ingredients. Over 80% of the Trust's food budget is spent with local Cornish companies, and sourcing food locally has also cut carbon emissions from road transport by two-thirds. The food at the Royal Cornwall Hospital has also been endorsed by the His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.