Better hospital nutrition on the menu

24 March 2010

Hospital menus tailored to the individual needs of patients are to become more widespread, with the rollout of a new ‘nutritional database' across Scotland.

This will allow analysis of menus to ensure they are offering healthy, nutritionally balanced meals and are meeting individuals' special needs, such as for energy-dense meals.

The new tool for health boards has been accompanied by the first comprehensive analysis of food served in Scottish hospitals. Published by Health Facilities Scotland, this shows that while nutritional standards are generally high, NHS Boards can improve in a number of areas.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon said:

"For the first time this report shows us the nutritional ratings achieved by the NHS and provides a standard against which progress can be measured. This gives us a standard to measure improvements in hospital food across Scotland.
 
"Every patient has the right to expect decent, nutritious food when they are in hospital and we are committed to providing patients with the best nutritional care possible. 

"By this time next year I expect all health boards to achieve over 90% for every one of the food standards.

"The new database is a fantastic start to improving hospital food and will allow boards to nutritionally analyse their menus and provide patients with healthy meals tailored to their individual recovery needs."

Health Facilities Scotland Director Paul Kingsmore said:

"As part of the overall drive to raise quality, new nutritional standards were laid down in 2008 for all hospitals. Our task is to work closely with health Boards to identify where hospitals are doing well and where they can improve.

"Currently nutritional analysis in NHS Boards varies in application. With the introduction of this database we will have for the first time a consistent methodology across the whole of Scotland.

"The nutrition report is just an initial snapshot, and we will build on this with further regular reports. But together with the Nutrition Database, it lays the vital groundwork for the NHS to do even better in the future."

The "National Catering and Nutritional Services Specification: Half Yearly Compliance Report" assessed Boards' performance between July and December 2009 against key standards:

- meeting nutritional needs (for the general hospital population) - 80 per cent;
- menu planning (e.g. healthy eating, specifying number of portions) - 84 per cent;
- food-based standards (providing a good range of food types) - 97 per cent;
- menu planning guidance (planning nutritionally balanced menus) - 86 per cent;
- therapeutic diet provision (providing modified diets to assist with particular conditions) - 75 per cent;
- special and personal diets (flexibility to people's cultural, religious or personal preferences) - 94 per cent; and
- patient experience (listening to patients, carers and staff) - 88 per cent.