The panel’s findings will be used as the basis for new Government and NHS England guidance and regulations regarding hospital food.
Jeffrey has led Age UK’s Malnutrition Task Force with its campaign to stamp out malnutrition and dehydration that affects up to 1.3m older people in the UK.
She said: “Eating and drinking well is such a crucial part of life, not just because of its nutritional content but also because of the comfort and enjoyment good food can bring.
“So to find yourself in hospital without control over what and when you eat and drink can be very distressing.
“Good nutrition and hydration are critical elements of hospital care and should be considered as important as medical treatment.
“Malnutrition and dehydration can be a real risk for patients if they go unnoticed and untreated.
“Whilst hospitals are not 5-star restaurants, it’s important that food and drink is nutritious, appetising and thoughtfully presented so that people can eat and enjoy it.”
The establishment of the panel follows a recent survey of adult inpatients that showed 36% who needed help to eat said they did not get the assistance they needed.
In addition, recent Government figures estimated that more than 30m hospital meals are thrown out in England each year.
Jeffrey added that an estimated 1 in 3 older people entered hospital malnourished or at risk of malnourishment and this was endangering their health and recovery.
“It is vital to ensure hospitals are doing all they can to provide additional help and encouragement with eating and drinking to all those who need it.
“For many patients the lack of choice and control over eating and drinking, unappealing meals and poorly thought out presentation can make the experience of eating and drinking in hospital deeply distressing.
“Concerns have also been raised about the nutritional value of hospital meals in addition to calls for meals to be sustainably procured and to adhere to high animal welfare standards.”
The panel will be made up of experts from the food and farming industry and across healthcare and will review guidance and standards governing hospital meals throughout the NHS.
Food packaging (which can be too difficult for sick and frail older people to open), nutritional value, presentation and reducing food waste will be central aspects of the panel’s investigation.
The panel will also examine ways to ensure high quality animal welfare is routine in the preparation of meals and the link between hospital food and nursing care.