Data on the percentage of organic and locally sourced food served in English hospitals is not collected centrally.<\/p>
On 17 June 2019, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced a root and branch review of the food provided in National Health Service hospitals for patients, visitors and staff which will include ensuring that food provided in the NHS is sustainable, in line with the aims of the Government\u2019s National Food Strategy.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4019", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-30T14:38:36.457Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of food served in English hospitals is (a) organic, and (b) locally sourced; and what plans they have, if any, to increase that percentage.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4719", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle"} ], "uin" : "HL241"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1135390", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1135390/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Cross training of National Health Service staff to increase multi-skilling produces a more flexible workforce which will better support delivery of services. The multi-skilled staff who can undertake both cleaning and food serving will undertake these roles separately and at different times, and there are no issues of cross contamination or infection control as no sanitary jobs are carried out by those serving food.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-04T14:16:10.333Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the merits of NHS plans to ask hospital cleaners to feed patients meals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4490", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Morley and Outwood"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrea Jenkyns"} ], "uin" : "270458"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130029", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130029/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The NHS Food Standards are currently being review and updated to specifically look at improving the food provided in healthcare settings for patient, visitors and staff.<\/p>
<\/p>
This work is being led by the Food Standards and Strategy Group which includes representation from organisations with an interest in this area, including National Health Service trusts, NHS England and NHS Improvement, the Hospital Caterers Association, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health England and commercial food suppliers. The groups work is divided into workstreams as follows:<\/p>
<\/p>
- Patient experience;<\/p>
- Patient hydration, nutrition and safety;<\/p>
- Procurement, sustainability and food waste;<\/p>
- Visitor, staff and retail; and<\/p>
- Communications.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Standards will be published later this year.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-12T13:04:13.14Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS Long Term Plan and NHS Planning Guidance commitments for 2019-20, what progress his Department has made on ensuring that the next version of hospital food standards is published in 2019, strengthening those requirements and pushing further in securing healthy food for staff and patients; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4244", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leicester South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jonathan Ashworth"} ], "uin" : "260634"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128349", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128349/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The National Health Service regularly reviews options to improve the provision and sale of food in hospitals. From November 2016 to July 2017 the NHS consulted on banning the sale of sugar sweetened beverages on NHS premises. Following this the NHS Action on Sugar scheme was launched and has reduced sales from 15.6% in July 2017 to 7.4% in June 2018 (as a proportion of total beverage sales in participating trusts). All 220 trusts have committed to this scheme, and 23 have stopped selling sugar sweetened beverages altogether.<\/p>
<\/p>
A targeted incentive scheme from 2016/17 \u2013 2018/19 aimed to improve the food available for sale on NHS premises, targeting price promotions and adverts for unhealthy food and drink, encouraging trusts to provide healthy options 24/7, and setting limits on the percentage of packaged food and confectionary meeting defined calorie limits. Engagement with providers suggests that the scheme had a notable impact in raising the profile of healthy food and drink and in supporting negotiation with industry partners to ensure hospitals can lead by example. All elements of the incentive scheme are intended to transfer to the new National Standards for Healthcare food, which are due for publication later this year and which will draw on engagement with retailers, suppliers and patients.<\/p>
<\/p>
Patient nutrition is also currently covered by the five core standards enforced by the NHS Standard Contract which includes the Government buying standards and the British Dental Association nutrition digest. Patient menus need to meet the nutritional elements of both, including targets on sugar and fat, taking into account that catering requirements for groups who are nutritionally at risk often differ from those of the general populace. All organisations carry out nutritional screening using a tool such as the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool to identify where patients may be at risk. Work is ongoing via the Healthcare food standards and strategy group to continue to build on current guidance and targets for sugar, fat and salt.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-05T16:00:07.423Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merit of banning the (a) sale and (b) consumption of food in hospitals that is high in (i) fat and (ii) sugar.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Farrelly"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle-under-Lyme"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Farrelly"} ], "uin" : "257481"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1086734", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1086734/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department recognises the importance of good quality food for patients, both in terms of improving health and for their overall experience of services, and believes that it is a patient\u2019s right to receive tasty, nutritious and free food as part of their National Health Service treatment.<\/p>
<\/p>
NHS Improvement commissioned a Healthcare Food Standards and Strategy Group in July 2018 whose first task is to produce national standards for healthcare food for patients, staff and visitors. The standards will incorporate current targets and future aspirational targets around sugar, salt and fat as well as looking at quality and the whole patient experience. The new standards are due to be published in September 2019 and following on from this a spin off group will begin work on a national menu and recipe bank using chefs from within the NHS which will be a tool to help organisations achieve high standards of nutritional excellence.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-13T17:09:36.93Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the nutritional value of hospital meals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4418", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Madders"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ellesmere Port and Neston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Justin Madders"} ], "uin" : "230820"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1064199", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1064199/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Data is not collected centrally on the average cost of staff meals, the number of hospitals which provide a cooked meal to staff during the night or how much vending machines providers pay for the right to be situated in hospital lobbies.<\/p>
Information is not held on the number of hospitals which have food outlets and vending machine providers which sell junk food and there has not been any specific assessment of the impact of junk food sold in hospitals on patient or staff health.<\/p>
The Department collects data from National Health Service trusts for the total \u2018inpatient food service cost\u2019 and \u2018inpatient main meals requested\u2019 which gives the national average of cost per patient main meal of £4.20 for 2017-18. The cost is inclusive of all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4019", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL13847"} , {"_value" : "HL13848"} , {"_value" : "HL13849"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-05T14:36:50.353Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-02-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average cost of a meal provided in a hospital in England to (1) patients, and (2) staff.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4704", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Boycott"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Boycott"} ], "uin" : "HL13846"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1064200", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1064200/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Data is not collected centrally on the average cost of staff meals, the number of hospitals which provide a cooked meal to staff during the night or how much vending machines providers pay for the right to be situated in hospital lobbies.<\/p>
Information is not held on the number of hospitals which have food outlets and vending machine providers which sell junk food and there has not been any specific assessment of the impact of junk food sold in hospitals on patient or staff health.<\/p>
The Department collects data from National Health Service trusts for the total \u2018inpatient food service cost\u2019 and \u2018inpatient main meals requested\u2019 which gives the national average of cost per patient main meal of £4.20 for 2017-18. The cost is inclusive of all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4019", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL13846"} , {"_value" : "HL13848"} , {"_value" : "HL13849"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-05T14:36:50.38Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-02-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hospitals in England provide a cooked meal to staff during the night shift.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4704", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Boycott"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Boycott"} ], "uin" : "HL13847"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1064202", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1064202/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Data is not collected centrally on the average cost of staff meals, the number of hospitals which provide a cooked meal to staff during the night or how much vending machines providers pay for the right to be situated in hospital lobbies.<\/p>
Information is not held on the number of hospitals which have food outlets and vending machine providers which sell junk food and there has not been any specific assessment of the impact of junk food sold in hospitals on patient or staff health.<\/p>
The Department collects data from National Health Service trusts for the total \u2018inpatient food service cost\u2019 and \u2018inpatient main meals requested\u2019 which gives the national average of cost per patient main meal of £4.20 for 2017-18. The cost is inclusive of all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4019", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL13846"} , {"_value" : "HL13847"} , {"_value" : "HL13848"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-05T14:36:50.443Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-02-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of hospitals in England which have (1) food outlets, and (2) vending machine providers, which sell junk food; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such food being sold on (a) patient, and (b) staff health.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4704", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Boycott"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Boycott"} ], "uin" : "HL13849"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1054740", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1054740/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The supply of food and specialised nutritional products, particularly those provided to patients and those in care, is being addressed as part of the Department\u2019s preparedness planning for the continuity of supply and service delivery post-European Union Exit. The Department has been working in collaboration with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.<\/p>
The majority of food supplied to the health and social care sector in the United Kingdom is sourced from the UK. There are certain products that are routinely sourced from other EU countries, although alternative sources and suitable substitutes exist for these foodstuffs.<\/p>
Specialist nutritional products are an important part of patient care throughout the health and social care sector. In recognition of this we have made this a specific area of focus within our preparedness arrangements. We are working closely with industry and with organisations such as Public Health England and the British Specialist Nutrition Association to identify the arrangements being made by suppliers and to develop contingency measures that will ensure seamless supply.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-02-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-07T17:36:49.437Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-02-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hospitals: Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to secure the supply of food to hospitals in the event that UK leaves the EU without a deal.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wallasey"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Angela Eagle"} ], "uin" : "216144"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/902201", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/902201/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Spending per in-patient in England on National Health Service meals per hospital stay is not collected centrally.<\/p>
<\/p>
NHS food and meals data is collected annually through Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC). All ERIC data for all trusts in England is published at the following link:<\/p>
<\/p>