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Hospital Food Standards Panel publishes report

29th Aug 2014 - 08:39
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Hospital Food Standards Panel report
Abstract
The Hospital Food Standards Panel has issued a report that includes five key recommendations that should be required of all hospitals to improve the quality of meals provided for patients, staff and visitors.

These include:

•  10 key characteristics of good nutritional care, Nutrition Alliance
•  Nutrition and Hydration Digest, The British Dietetic Association
•  Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool or equivalent1 (BAPEN)
•  Healthier and More Sustainable Catering – Nutrition Principles (Public Health England)
•  Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services, HMG standards developed by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Every hospital has a responsibility to provide the highest level of care possible for their patients and this, without question, includes the quality and nutritional value of the food that is served and eaten.”

“It is important that the quality of food served to your patients is nutritious. Many hospitals do provide high quality food and drink, but the variation across the country is too great.”

He said the report would provide hospital catering teams with the guidance and tools to help achieve this.

And added: “As an indication of how serious the Government takes nutrition and hospital food, we are introducing these as legally binding standards in the NHS Standard Contract.”

The Hospital Food Standards Panel’s Report on Standards for Food and Drink in NHS Hospitals has been prepared by an independent group established by the Department of Health and led by Dame Dianne Jeffrey, chairman of Age UK.

You can download a copy of the report from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/establishing-food-standards-for-nhs-hospitals

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Written by
PSC Team