Reply from the Department of Health and Social Care

Dear Dr Kassam,

Thank you for your correspondence of 21 July to Kerry McCarthy MP about introducing sustainable food into NHS Hospitals. Your email has been forwarded to the Department of Health and Social Care and I have been asked to reply. I apologise for the delay in doing so. 

The NHS is committed to reaching Net Zero by 2040 and hospital food plays an important role in this aim. Reducing the carbon footprint in hospital food menus is high on the agenda as part of the NHS’s regular meetings with food suppliers and facilities management partners throughout healthcare. To support this objective, NHS England will shortly launch a menu bank platform, available to all, providing a significant number of recipes that are medium to low carbon, which will help hospitals to appropriately reshape their menus.

Since the publication of the Independent Review of Hospital Food in 2020, strong support has been provided to hospitals on their menu and food procurement decision making, as the Government links effectively with NHS Supply Chain and hospital teams. This includes Hospital Green Plans, which should provide sustainable direction from each site, incorporating food, whilst understanding their patient acuity and diversity of cultures.

The Government must also provide appropriate choice, and “Plant forward” is very much an objective, often with this choice being the first option on a menu. Bearing in mind the variance of patients throughout healthcare, the Government needs to align with meals that they recognise, meeting nutritional guidelines through dietetic colleagues, providing the best opportunity for our patients to enjoy their food choices and increase the likelihood that they will receive the appropriate nutrition to empower their recovery.

In a patient’s stay in hospital, food is an integral part of the day, creating a social opportunity for patients and their relatives. Whilst in hospital, unless it is absolutely necessary for dietary reasons, reshaping the style of food, away from that which is familiar is not encouraged.

I hope this reply is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Correspondence Officer
Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries
Department of Health and Social Care