Plants First Healthcare

The Plants First Healthcare Campaign

*The below letter will be sent to the CEO, lead dietitian, sustainability lead and medical director of every Trust and ICB in the country. We would love to get as many health professionals to sign as possible*

We are calling on NHS trusts, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and all other healthcare organisations to adopt a ‘Plant-Based by Default’ food menu¹ . There is now overwhelming evidence that shifting towards a plant-predominant food system can significantly improve national health outcomes, address health inequalities and is essential for meeting our climate and nature targets². There is growing evidence that it could also decrease NHS costs³. ‘Plant-Based by Default’ menus offer and incentivise plant-based meals as the primary menu option without restricting choice – meat and other animal products remain on the menu.

Plant-based meals can have direct health benefits. By encouraging a higher consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes we can reduce the prevalence of heart disease⁴, high blood pressure⁵, type 2 diabetes⁶, obesity⁷ and certain cancers⁸.

Plant-based meals can keep the food system within planetary boundaries.⁹ A typical plant based meal uses 75% less land, and has a 66% lower impact on biodiversity than one containing meat⁹. The current global food system contributes a third of all greenhouse gas emissions¹⁰ and in the UK 70% of our total food-related emissions come from red meat and dairy production alone ¹¹. Furthermore, industrial animal practices are associated with the rise of antibiotic resistant infections¹², the development of zoonotic diseases with pandemic potential¹³, and increases in particulate air pollution and ground level ozone¹⁴.

Plant-based meals can also save money. A modelling study has shown that this ‘plant-based by default’ approach could save the NHS £74 million annually and, if patients were also supported to make these dietary shifts at home, there would be significant household cost savings too¹⁵. The Office of Health Economics recently estimated that if just England were to adopt a completely plant-based diet there would be ‘a total net benefit to the NHS of around £18.8 billion per year’ ¹⁶. No other intervention can deliver such significant health benefits alongside cost savings and environmental benefits.

Healthcare institutions have the opportunity to lead the food system transformation that is needed within wider society.  There is already a successful precedent. In 2022, eleven New York City hospitals moved to a ‘plant-based by default’ menu, with support from doctors and dietitians, and have achieved remarkable results: over 50% of patients in those hospitals have chosen plant-based meals and more than 90% were satisfied with their meal¹⁷. Food-related emissions have reduced by 36%, and financial savings by up to 59 cents (46 pence) per meal^{18, 19, 20}. ‘Greener By Default’ (with whom we are not affiliated), worked with NYC Hospitals to achieve this goal, and provide one-on-one consultation, menu analysis, and marketing collateral, completely free of charge¹⁷.

We ask that in 2024 NHS healthcare organisations commit to implementing a ‘Plant-based by Default’ menu in order to promote a healthier and more sustainable food environment for patients and staff.

Yours Sincerely
Plants First Healthcare Campaign