Healthy food for NHS patients

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The NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has announced plans to stop the healthcare system offering junk food to patients, staff and visitors.

During his speech, which took place at the NHS Innovation Expo Conference in Manchester last week, Mr. Stevens highlighted how NHS organisations will be supported to help their staff to stay well, including plans to serve healthier food.

Outlets and retailers which offer ‎food that does not meet nutritional standards will either be banned from NHS hospitals or have to change their menus up and down the UK. 

Vending machines will be affected as well, and therefore banned from selling certain sugar and/or salt-based snacks currently on display. 

I am not terribly surprised by the fact that food and meals available in hospitals can be unhealthy.  No longer than three years ago, in fact, I visited the A&E department of a North London hospital, where a service worker brought sandwiches fully loaded with not very light ingredients to patients. It was supposed to be our lunch and I was puzzled.

So, the recent announcement from Mr. Stevens, which follows an investigation on the scale of the fast-food by national newspaper The Daily Telegraph, is preparing the ground for healthier menus in hospital wards, and a new regulation will hopefully come into force soon.

Meanwhile health campaigners have criticised the fact that chains like Burger King and Greggs, as well as 92 branches of Costa Coffee selling muffins and high-sugar drinks, are all located inside many hospitals in the UK.