Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that hospitals are able to provide (a) nutritious and (b) good-quality food for patients.

Access to good quality, nutritious, and aesthetically pleasing hospital food can improve patient morale and contribute to their recovery.

All National Health Service trusts, including in Hazel Grove, are expected to follow the NHS National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink. There are eight mandatory standards all trusts are required to meet. This includes having a food and drink strategy and demonstrating that they have suitable food service provision 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is appropriate for their demographic.

The guidance requires that NHS organisations must show that they comply with the British Dietetic Associations’ Nutrition and Hydration Digest, which identifies actions to be taken in relation to the provision of nutritional food, and which is available at the following link:

https://www.bda.uk.com/specialist-groups-and-branches/food-services-specialist-group/nutrition-and-hydration-digest.html

Furthermore, A key part of the specific standards for retail, staff, and visitors in healthcare settings is the need to comply with the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services mandatory nutrition standards. These standards are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthcare-food-and-drink/