Could a local food policy address nutritional standards in hospitals?

11.41.00am GMT Thu 25th Mar 2010

Following the news that one in five Scottish hospitals are failing patients on nutritional standards, Jim Hume, Liberal Democrat MSP for the South of Scotland, has once again raised the issue of local food procurement as a way of raising the bar.

According to the Health Facilities Scotland (HFS) report, 80% of catering facilities across the NHS in Scotland provided meals meeting the nutrient requirements of a 'general' hospital population. Three health boards failed to achieve this standard.

Jim Hume said:

"Hospitals play an obvious key role in the wellbeing of society and when people are admitted, it’s crucial that during their stay they’re given every opportunity to reach a speedy recovery.

“Part of that holistic recovery process is ensuring that patients have access to good nutrition.

“I believe that there is a golden opportunity here for the Scottish Government to work with hospitals to bring about a change in procurement procedures to favour fresh, seasonal ingredients.

“This focus on local food has been successful in some schools in the South of Scotland and elsewhere in other projects across Scotland, and I see no reason why the Government cannot work with hospitals to achieve the same within the NHS.

“The Scottish Government needs to incorporate a local food policy into its national food strategy as was promised back in 2007.”