Thank you for contacting me about catering for NHS staff in Hospitals and EDM 816. I do not generally sign Early Day Motions as I have not found them to be an effective means of achieving change. However, I did want to set out the actions the Government is taking to improve catering for NHS stafff.
Firstly, I would like to thank our NHS staff for their tireless work to support patients through day and night, and I appreciate the commitment of campaigners to ensure they have access to good catering and self-catering facilities.
I do want to reassure you that the Government and the NHS are taking action to increase standards and improve facilities for NHS staff for catering and self-catering.
The Independent Hospital Food Review – published in October 2020 – made a number of recommendations to improve standards of catering in Hospitals in England.
This included that Hospitals should provide “appropriate facilities to support patients and staff to eat well 24/7 when in the hospital environment.”
In addition, the Review recommended that if it is not possible for Hospitals to provide catering or restaurant facilities over 24 hours, staff must still have access to appropriate facilities to safely store, prepare and eat their own meals and hot drinks at any time of day and night.
An expert panel of NHS caterers, dieticians and nurses are currently leading work to review to implement the recommendations for tastier, more nutritious food for patients, staff and visitors.
