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Good Food on the Public Plate
Food in the Public Sector News - 2007

Food in the Public Sector News - Autumn 2007

Public sector should 'aid' food industry
Scotland's local authorities and catering firms who serve the public sector have been asked to do their bit for the Scottish food industry. Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has written a letter urging these bodies to, wherever possible, purchase and eat more locally produced food. He said: "I firmly believe that we, as a nation, ought to be making much more of Scotland's reputation around the world for producing premium food and drink products. I am deeply concerned about the long term health and well-being of one of the cornerstones of Scotland's food heritage, our agricultural sector. "There are exceptionally difficult circumstances currently facing Scottish livestock farmers. The most recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth in Surrey, coupled with unprecedented world grain prices, has had a devastating effect on our meat and dairy farmers. I appreciate that in most cases buyers and suppliers will be working within existing contracts and, in the case of the public sector, within the framework of EU procurement rules. However, I am urging public bodies to support our meat industry and consider ways in which they can increase its use of prime Scottish meat products." The market for public sector food procurement in Scotland (local authorities, hospitals and schools) is worth £85 million per year. The largest proportion of this figure (67 per cent or £57 million) is spent by the local authorities on education and social work catering.

Source: www.scotland.gov.uk - October 2007
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2007/10/30135029

Sell-off bid over meals on wheels
Plans to hand over Newcastle’s council-run home meals service to a private company based in the South East have led to protests. Unions have vowed to fight the cost-cutting measure and families have spoken about their concerns. The plan is to hand over the preparation and delivery of meals-on-wheels and food served in day and resource centres to a firm in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, from April. Unions claim nutritional standards and the health of elderly and vulnerable people will be at risk. At present, council neighbourhood services staff prepare and deliver almost 1,300 hot meals a week, using fresh produce. Under the privatised service, frozen meals would be heated in transit before delivery to people’s homes. Kenny Bell, Unison branch secretary, said: “How can the council consider the provision of frozen meals for the old and vulnerable when we have national campaigns about the poor quality of school meals and hospital food? Colin Burr, GMB branch secretary, said: “Meals produced locally to meet individual needs contribute to keeping people at home and out of hospital or residential care, saving money.” Savings are estimated at around £400,000 a year, but this is challenged by the unions, who are calling for financial analysis of the bids. One 98-year-old former teacher, who gets meals at home seven days a week, said: “They are hot, tasty and varied and I can see no reason for change.’’

Source: www.chroniclelive.co.uk - October 2007
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-evening-chronicle/2007/10/16/sell-off-bid-over-meals-on-wheels-72703-19959197/

Sustainable fish fingers from pollock, not cod
Ecological awareness is coming to the captain's table with the launch of Birds Eye's first sustainable fish finger, the frozen food giant announces today. The manufacturer aims to reduce its dependence on cod - an increasingly rare and expensive species - by introducing a line of fish fingers made entirely from Alaskan pollock fillets. The fish will be sourced solely from Marine Stewardship Council-certified fisheries, which have passed stringent sustainability criteria. The company - which controls nearly 80% of the UK fish finger market - estimates that from September 18% of their fish fingers will be sourced from MSC-certified fisheries, resulting in a 4,000-tonne reduction in its yearly cod catch, equivalent to more than 2 million fish.

Source: The Guardian - August 2007
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/aug/03/conservation.food

Defra Public Attitudes survey
Defra has published its latest survey of public attitudes and behaviours toward the environment. The survey comes up with the following findings. Of the issues people think government should be dealing with, the environment was the fourth most commonly mentioned behind crime, health and education.  About a quarter of people agreed with statements such as “It takes too much effort to do things that are environmentally friendly”, and “I don’t believe my behaviour and everyday lifestyle contribute to climate change”.  However, about half disagreed. The behaviours for which the smallest proportion thought there would be a major impact were “buying food produced locally rather than abroad”, and “wasting less food”, with 32 per cent and 30 per cent of people thinking these would have a major impact respectively.  The behaviours for which the greatest proportion of people thought there would be no impact on the UK’s contribution to climate change were “buying food produced locally rather than abroad” and “flying less” for which 9 per cent and 8 per cent respectively said there would be no impact.

Source: www.defra.gov.uk - August 2007
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070814a.htm

 

Schools

Ofsted report shows school meal uptake falls
New figures from education watchdog Ofsted showing meal uptake has fallen at three-quarters of inspected schools have reinforced fears the school meals system is near crisis. Ofsted’s Food in Schools report, published today, reveals the number of pupils eating school meals has fallen in 19 of the 27 schools in England it has visited since the interim food-based standards came into force in September 2006, restricting the availability of junk food. Although the standards body admits the reasons for this are complex, it singled out a lack of consultation with pupils and parents, poor marketing of new menus and lack of choice in what is on offer, as contributing factors to the fall. Ofsted added dining areas needed to be made more attractive, lunch-time queues tackled and more areas opened up to allow pupils to socialise to reverse the decline. Christine Gilbert, chief inspector of education, children’s Services and skills at Ofsted, said: “Schools that had the most impact in encouraging healthy choices were those which gave a priority to this as part of their day-to-day work. Ofsted’s report comes after separate surveys by the Local Authority Caterers Association and the School Food Trust both showed meal uptake in England had bombed since restrictions came in, especially at secondary education level.

Source: www.caterersearch.com - October 2007
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/10/03/316462/ofsted-report-shows-school-meal-uptake-falls.html

Free school meals trial approved
The Scottish Parliament has approved a five council trial which will see school children given free school meals after the October break. Every primary one to three pupil in the Borders, East Ayrshire, Fife, Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire will be entitled to a free, nutritious school meal every day from October until March.  The Scottish Government says that the £5m scheme is an important step towards making Scotland healthier. The trial aims to change the culture around food in Scotland by promoting nutritious menus and developing children's palates so they are used to healthy options. Minister for Children and Early Years Adam Ingram said: “For too long, Scotland's health has been affected by a legacy of poor diet. This government is determined to change these habits, and we believe strongly that targeting our youngest pupils will bring health benefits for them now and in the future. “Children need a good, healthy source of energy to get them through the school day. These meals will make a difference to pupils and parents on a daily basis, especially in some of the most deprived areas. “This trial will help us to see whether providing free, healthy school lunches to our youngest pupils can help bring about a culture change towards healthy eating habits and social behaviour, both at home and in school. this article.

Source: http://www.holyrood.com/ - October 2007
http://www.holyrood.com/content/view/1356/10552/

Sustainable food procurement improves
A third of local education authorities (LEAs) buy more than 75 per of their meat from local suppliers, according to a survey commissioned by the MLC to monitor attitudes to sustainable procurement of food.  LEAs are increasingly purchasing meat that complies with one of the red meat assurance schemes, with traceability more important than origin when purchasing meat. Ongoing research into the economics and practicalities of purchasing fresh rather than frozen meat has stimulated the Government Offices for the Regions to encourage LEAs to change their purchasing profiles. This is good news for the meat industry, says MLC in its latest issue of Meat Demand Trends. It says the public sector is an important user of parts of the carcase that are sometimes difficult to find markets for.

Source: www.thepigsite.com - October 2007
http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/15908/sustainable-food-procurement-improves-but-world-markets-are-changing

 

Hospitals

Hospital mealtime becomes tray chic
A different colour of tray is making it easier to identify Basingstoke hospital patients who require extra help or supervision at mealtimes. The trays are part of a new mealtime procedure. When patients select their menus for the next day, ward staff place a sticker on their forms to identify if they require help with their food. This could be assistance with cutting it, help with feeding, or recording the amount they have eaten in order to improve nutrition. Members of the catering team then know to put the food on a red tray rather than a standard grey one. When the food goes up to the ward, staff are then alerted to the patients who require assistance. Pat Dominey, the hospital's modern matron for older persons and rehabilitation services, said: "We introduced the trays as it is so much easier to ensure patients who need help, or their intake recording, don't get missed." Mrs Dominey added that patients have also been pleased with the new system. She said: "It is a bit more dignified for patients and what can be more positive than saying you have got a red tray to ensure you get some help'?"

Source: This is Hampshire - October 2007 http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/hampshirenews/display.var.1782453.0.hospital_mealtime_becomes_tray_chic.php

Which? launched 'Impatient for Change'
Which? launched its new Impatient for Change campaign to call on politicians and the NHS to stop talking and start listening to patients and take action. The campaign comes as the party conference season - dominated by health issues - comes to an end and the day after publication of Lord Darzi’s interim NHS review. In August, they surveyed 1,000 people who’d been into hospital during the previous 12 months and found almost half were unhappy with an aspect of their experience, such as the food, cleanliness, organisation of care - but fewer than half of these spoke out. Over a third didn’t complain about their care because they thought it wouldn’t make a difference, almost a quarter said they just ‘expected’ that from the NHS and more than one in ten thought speaking out might compromise their care. Nick Stace, Director of Campaigns at Which? says: ‘We've identified a deadlock in the system that’s led to a real complacency culture existing in the NHS and a service that doesn’t tackle the issues that matter to patients. It's no surprise that problems with hospital food, cleanliness and the organisation of care crop up time and time again when the NHS isn't listening or responding to patients' needs.

Source: www.which.co.uk - October 2007
http://www.which.co.uk/reports_and_campaigns/health_and_wellbeing/reports/health_services/impatient_change_news_article_557_123357.jsp

NHS hospitals must step up efforts to provide dignity in care to older people
The Healthcare Commission is calling for NHS trusts to do more to ensure they consistently provide dignity in care to older people, including offering adequate nutrition and privacy. Publishing a national report on dignity in care, the independent watchdog is warning NHS trusts of further checks, including unannounced visits, where there are clusters of evidence suggesting a problem at a hospital or on a ward. It is asking patients, their carers and the public - and their representative bodies like Age Concern - to come forward and tell the Commission where they have reason for concern. Looking at nutrition, the report found there was room for improvement. An inpatient survey used in the report showed that of the older people that needed help to eat, less than a fifth (just over 16%) said they received it. Fifty nine per cent of older people rated their hospital food as "good" or "very good" in the survey, 28% rated it "fair" and 11% rated it "poor", with wide variations found between trusts. And complaints data reviewed by the Commission showed 25% concerns related to poor nutrition in hospitals. The seriousness of nutrition issues was highlighted by NPSA data that showed there were approximately 1200 reported patient safety incidents over the last eighteen months regarding nutritional and fluid management per year. Twenty five per cent of those either caused harm or had the potential to cause harm to patients. This included patients being given food they were allergic to, choking on food and diabetic food being unavailable out of hours.

Source: Healthcare Commission - September 2007
http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/14667

Hospital food swap could save up to £300,000 a year
Norfolk Primary Care Trust is to review the current catering arrangements at Swaffham Community Hospital after a decision to end its in-house services to hospitals in the Norwich area. On Tuesday the PCT board agreed that from January it would transfer catering arrangements from its in-house services to Cambridge-based company Anglia Support Partnership, which will provide ready-prepared meals. Meals produced by the Cambridge company will be rapidly chilled and transported to the Norfolk hospitals up to 36 hours before consumption by patients. The move will save the PCT about £300,000 a year from the £1.1 million annual cost of providing catering services in-house – but it could mean up to 46 kitchen staff would be made redundant. Swaffham Hospital's League of Friends' chairman David Gulliver said: "The feedback I get is that they value having freshly-cooked meals provided at Swaffham Hospital. I don't think I have ever had an adverse comment about the food."

Source: www.lynnnews.co.uk - September 2007
http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/swaffham/Hospital-food-swap-could-save.3243095.jp

Number of patients leaving hospital under-nourished rises
Hospital caterers are being urged to do more to help prevent the number of patients leaving NHS hospitals malnourished after figures revealed a leap of almost two-thirds in the past five years. Last year 2,265 people left hospital under-nourished compared to 1,381 in 2001, according to official figures released in response to a parliamentary question. In addition, 13 million hospital meals were thrown away untouched by patients – a rise of a 22% on the year before. The figures follow calls by The Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) for doctors, clinical, dietetic and catering teams to work together to improve communication as well as standards. HCA chairman Neil Watson-Jones said: “No matter how much effort is put into improving hospital cuisine, the nutritional value of an uneaten meal will always be zero.” 

Source: www.caterersearch.com - August 2007
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/08/06/315358/number-of-patients-leaving-hospital-under-nourished.html

Snack attack on kid's health - time for vending machines to shape up
The Soil Association report, 'Not What the Doctor Ordered', sponsored by food company Organix, found that vending machines in a sample of sports centres and hospitals across England and Wales are failing dismally to provide healthy options, despite the Government's health policy identifying diet and nutrition as one of six key priority areas for improving public health. The report provides a sobering snapshot of the unhealthy food that is the norm in many healthcare and leisure facilities – high in sugar, fat and salt and seriously out of step with the kind of healthier choices encouraged by the Department of Health. Much of the food on sale was of poor nutritional quality, dominated by the fatty snacks, fizzy drinks and confectionery that have been banned from schools to protect children’s health. For example in Addenbrooke Hospital, Cambridge, every Saturday is 'Burger King Takeout Night' at C2 children’s ward the night when all the young patients are offered a Burger King meal. Just outside the door of this ward is a vending machine full of crisps and confectionery. Medirest is contracted to supply Addenbrooke and provides food service to many UK hospitals. Burger King is just one of the ‘well-known Foodservice brands’ Medirest promotes despite claims on its website that it provides ‘quality food’ with ‘nutritional value’.

Source: The Culinary Guide - July 2007
http://www.theculinaryguide.co.uk/news/2007/0707/260707/vendingMachines/vendingMachines.htm

 

 

Food in the Public Sector News - Summer 2007

NHS Confederation: NHS has a major role to play in tackling climate change
This is the clear message from a new NHS Confederation report, written by the independent think tank the new economics foundation (nef).  Taking the temperature: towards an NHS response to global warming warns that the NHS, as one of the world’s biggest public sector institutions, will need to reduce its significant contribution to carbon emissions. In addition, the impact of climate change on the health of the UK population will be a significant extra pressure on the NHS. A warmer, more variable climate may increase heat-related deaths, insect borne disease and respiratory disease.

Research commissioned by the NHS Confederation shows that both the public and NHS leaders believe that the NHS needs to do more to tackle climate change. However, Taking the temperature suggests that the NHS will have to work hard to reduce its energy consumption and meet the UK energy white paper’s target of reducing emissions to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010 and 60 per cent by 2050. The sheer scale of the NHS, with 1 million patient contacts every 36 hours, means the organisation has a considerable carbon footprint.

Source: politics.co.uk 22 Jun 2007
http://www.nhsconfed.org/about/mediacentre-listing.cfm/pressrelease/610


Defra PSFPI programme 2007/08
Defra has published the programme of PSFPI activities for 2007-8 on the Regions page of the PSFPI web site at http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/pdf/reg-projects0708.pdf. The programme covers, among other things, workshops for buyers and suppliers and projects for developing the supply of food into schools and other public bodies.    More information from the regional PSFPI Source (and contact details): http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/pdf/psfpi-contacts.pdf/ . 


Sustainable procurement 'in need of leadership'
Public sector buyers need more leadership to implement sustainable procurement, according to an industry expert. Jonathon Porritt, chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), told delegates at a conference in London that sustainable procurement needs to be enforced from the top.  Porritt, who was also a member of the Sustainable Procurement Task Force, added he was happy the SDC would be appraising permanent secretaries and department chief executives on their sustainable procurement performance. "There is a lot of nervousness about this - and so there bloody well should be," he said. "Getting procurement right is the single most important thing the government could do to 'walk the talk".

Source: Supply Management, 14 June 2007
http://www.supplymanagement.co.uk/EDIT/Top_stories_item.asp?id=16286


New Covent Garden Market to house procurement officer
A new three-year project aims to boost the volume of South East produce sold into the London food service sector and the public sector in the capital.  Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) and the South East Food Group Partnership (SEFGP) are appointing a ‘business development executive’ with funding from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). The post-holder will be based at the Market and use it as a distribution hub for product from the South East region.

The aims are to:

On October 3, New Covent Garden Market will host an open day for food producers and caterers. There will be ‘meet the buyer’ sessions, tours, talks and good food. For information about this project or about the role of Business Development Executive please contact: Helen Evans, CGMA tel: 020 7501 3487 helen.evans@cgma.gov.uk  or Henriette Reinders, SEFGP tel: 023 9245 2288 henriette@sefgp.co.uk
 
Sustain/NFU Farmers’ Newsletter, 20 June 2007


Schools

School joins forces with gastro-pub in search for healthier lunches
Islington is the spiritual home of fancy pub food, and its children may be soon be getting a taste of it! Thornhill primary school in the north London borough has begun implementing a full gastro pub-style dinner based on dishes offered at the acclaimed Duke of Cambridge organic pub nearby. Since 2004, Thornhill has tried to improve meals with the menu provided by Scholarest, the school catering firm, but in the end it felt constrained by the ingredients. So, with a group named School Meals Matter Islington, a collaboration of parents, governors, teachers and representatives from the pub, the school decided that when the contract with Scholarest expired in September 2007 it would take control of its lunches.

The dishes will be put together at a cost of £2 a meal, rather than the average price of about £14 for a main course at the Duke of Cambridge. While this is 50p higher than the average price of British school meals, and 30p higher than the average in Islington, the head teacher, Matt Chappel, said the school hoped that a 70% take-up rate would allow it to lower the price in time. The £30,000 that would have gone to Scolarest will be available to the school to provide the food. The Duke of Cambridge put on extra staff to train Thornhill's school dinner lady, Caroline Moore, and helped create a version of its menu to suit pupils, and provided links to food suppliers.

The Guardian, 18 June 2007
http://society.guardian.co.uk/children/story/0,,2105333,00.html


How does their curriculum grow?
More than half an acre of school grounds at Perth High has been dug over by Mrs Tattersfield, an “inspirational gardener”, and some of the pupils, to prepare it for vegetable and plant production. Greenhouses will be on site by autumn, paid for by the Economic Development Unit in Perth and Kinross. But the school is not going it alone since it has many rural industries on its doorstep.

“We’ve been talking to producers and farmers who are willing to get involved with the school,” says Fiona Keatings, deputy head at Perth High. “Robbie Wilson of Gowrie Growers, a leading producer of vegetables in the area, has been giving us advice on topsoil and other aspects of growing vegetables, as has Jim Fairlie, a farmer from Bridge of Earn.”

From the beginning of the new timetable in June, instead of sitting in the class discussing the production of vegetables and plants, pupils studying Intermediate 1 biotechnology will be in the garden doing it. Pupils taking the alternative curriculum will also be working on the garden, developing skills that they will be able to take with them into the work place.

TES, 15 June 2007
http://www.tes.co.uk/2394776


Scolarest leads a withdrawal from schools contracts
Caterers are being forced to pull out of school meals contracts because increasing regulations and higher public expectation are making the sector commercially unviable, experts have claimed. The stark warning came after the sector's biggest school meals provider, Compass-owned Scolarest, announced it would be pulling out of its 10-year contract with the Royal Borough of Richmond from next month after six years, as it was unable to agree commercial terms. The caterer, which feeds pupils at 45 schools in the London borough, is also pulling out of a mammoth county-wide contract for 172 schools in Bedfordshire for the same reason. However, a Richmond council source said a fall in school meals uptake from about 30% to 22% had played its part. With the prohibition on cakes and the removal of confectionery from vending machines this summer set to take away yet more catering revenue, redundancies are now anticipated.

CatererSearch, 14 June 2007
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/06/14/314328/scolarest-leads-a-withdrawal-from-schools-contracts.html


Hospital Food

New hospital food project in Merseyside
The Heart of Mersey Hospital Food Project is a new venture that, from late summer onwards, will work with three-quarters of NHS Trusts in Merseyside to improve food procurement and nutrition in local hospitals. It aims to collect and collate food supply information, facilitate and host sustainable food awareness-raising sessions on nutrition and food procurement for staff and visitors, facilitate NHS Supplier linkages between local growers, providers, and suppliers, develop and implement questionnaires to assess current food provision with staff and visitors, develop and agree basic nutrition standards for hospital caterers, test healthier nutrition initiatives in each hospital such as price subsidies for healthier options, healthy vending machines and fat reduction in food preparation. For more information contact Modi Mwatsama on 0151 928 7820 or email: modi.mwatsama@heartofmersey.org.uk

Heart of Mersey, 31 May 2007


Hospital patient on hunger strike
A bed-ridden patient has made a video of "gravity-defying" macaroni cheese in protest against the standard of hospital food. James "Smurf" Smith, 21, claims the steamed meals at Hillingdon Hospital are so bad they cling to the plate - and taste terrible. James is now on hunger strike and says he is having nothing to do with the menu. He said that that the food is ready-made and then steamed in a special microwave. James, who shattered his pelvis and broke his spine in a quad-bike crash a month ago, has complained to the catering manager but says nothing has been changed. He said: "They think it's healthy, balanced food. But I think if something is healthy and balanced it should be being cooked from fresh ingredients."

This is Local London, 8 June2007
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.1456852.0.hospital_patient_on_hunger_strike.php


Children's hospital food menu slated
A food guru has slammed the quality of meals given to sick children at Hartlepool's hospital. Hospitalised youngsters are given chips six day a week and are regularly offered controversial processed foods like chicken nuggets and hot dogs. The meals served to sick children at the University Hospital of Hartlepool cost £1.02 each - while youngsters at Hartlepool's schools are fed on meals which cost between £1.50 and £1.70. But a hospital spokesman defended the choice available, saying "The hospital takes pride in the quality of its food." Dr Amelia Lake, from the Human Nutrition Research Centre at Newcastle University, examined the meals provided to adults and youngsters at the University Hospital of Hartlepool, and at Hartlepool Borough Council schools, and the hospital menu was the worst.

Hartlepool Mail, 11 June 2007
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news?articleid=2943254

 Food in the Public Sector News - Spring 2007

"Better Food for London" event 14 June 2007
Are you responsible for managing or tendering public sector catering contracts or do you give advice on sustainability issues in contracts? Public sector staff and their suppliers are invited to come and hear about the latest methods to help you make catering contracts more sustainable - and join us for a sustainable lunch afterwards!

There will be presentations by:

The event is on Thursday 14th June, 9.30 am - 12 pm at Assembly Rooms, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton. RSVP by 11th June to nicole.fletcher@camden.gov.uk or stephen.taiwo@gol.gsi.gov.uk

Government Office for London, 21 May 2007
http://www.gos.gov.uk/gol/news/542138/

 

Schools

Big profits for school caterers
Catering group Compass says cost-cutting measures and moves to streamline its businesses have helped boost profits by 42 per cent. The world's largest catering group reported pre-tax profits of £224m for the six months to March 31, up from £158m last year. The group, which supplies food to schools, hospitals, businesses and leisure centres, said its drive to focus on core operations also helped lift profit margins. Compass serves one in every 10 school meals in the UK and has seen no problems with food for primary schools. But sales to secondary schools have suffered as pupils shunned the new healthy lunch menus, choosing instead to eat outside school grounds. Manchester Evening News, 17 May 2007

What's for Lunch? - Putting Food at the Heart of the Curriculum
The Soil Association Scotland Food For Life Conference is on 14 June 2007 at Celtic Park, Glasgow, and aims to attract professionals working in public health, education, procurement, policy making and catering. Soil Association Scotland's Food for Life campaign is widely recognised as leading the way on providing fresh, local and organic food for Scotland's schools. This conference will underline the importance of putting food from sustainable sources on the school dinner plate to benefit public health, social justice, and local economies. And it will show how high levels of take-up are not just due to the quality of the food, but also the range and depth of educational experiences that accompany transformation of the dinner plate. These experiences help pupils and staff understand more about food production, and make connections with the people who produce their food. Delegates will choose lunch from one of four Food for Life Scotland catering teams and have the opportunity to talk to cooks, teachers and children involved in the pilot projects.

To book, visit the Soil Association Scotland website:
http://www.soilassociationscotland.org/

School dinner sales hit 'pre-Jamie' levels
Sales of school dinners in Norfolk have hit new heights after slumping following Jamie Oliver's healthy eating campaign, council bosses revealed. The take-up of school meals in the county fell by about 10% after the TV chef raised concerns about pupils across the country being given poor quality and unhealthy meals in 2005. But according to Norfolk County Council, sales have now surpassed "post Jamie Oliver fall out" levels. The council teamed up with top Michelin-starred chef Galton Blackiston to offer healthier food, using fresh ingredients and home cooking. Norfolk County Services has worked hard to work within tough new Government standards to keep menus creative, while pushing healthier food through a sequence of promotions and good advertising. School meals sales have since increased to more than 21,000 a day across primary schools in the county - above the level they were at in 2005. 24dash.com, 23 May 2007 
http://www.24dash.com/health/20928.htm

Free fruit fails to improve pupils' diets
The free fruit and vegetables policy for schoolchildren is under review after an independent report found that the initiative had failed to improve pupils' diets. A study to evaluate the £77 million School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (SFVS), launched three years ago, discovered that it had "no lasting impact" on what children were eating and that when youngsters received free fruit and vegetables at school they were less likely to consume them at home. Experts from the National Foundation for Educational Research and the University of Leeds, who monitored changes in consumption, the intake of nutrients and attitudes to healthy eating in children before and after they became involved in the project, found that pupils consumed, on average, 3.73 portions of fruit and vegetables while on the scheme - just 0.37 of a portion more than before the scheme was launched. Only 27 per cent of pupils achieved the Government's target of five portions a day while only a third of children were even aware of the five-a-day recommendation. Critics described the project as "hopeless" and "badly run" and accused the Government of failing to implement the necessary educational backing to make the programme work. Sunday Telegraph, 29 April 2007
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/29/nfruit29.xml

Co-operative spreading food message
The Co-operative in the North Eastern and Cumbrian region is spreading its healthy eating message to local pupils by sponsoring seven schools in the Ashington area to the tune of £1,000. The funding will mean that each of the schools will now be able to run healthy breakfast clubs for their pupils. The Co-operative's regional secretary, Suzanne Heron, said: "As a responsible retailer, the Co-operative has been promoting healthy eating to many schools in the north east with road shows hosted by chef Mark Earnden and the launch of a healthy eating-themed book written by storyteller Adam Bushnell. News Post Leader, 22 May 2007
http://www.blyth-wansbecktoday.co.uk/latest-news?articleid=2883804

'Fat police' dish out help to obese children
Overweight schoolchildren are being targeted by "fat inspectors" for a controversial programme of healthy-eating lessons and keep-fit sessions with their families. The unprecedented Active Families scheme involves health and education professionals singling out obese children as young as five and offering them and their parents a course of cooking lessons, nutritional advice and exercise routines.  The Scotsman, 20 May 2007
http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=782692007

School kitchens - so what's lurking in your child's school kitchen?
The Daily Echo revealed the state of Hampshire school kitchens thanks to environmental health reports obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. In all, 43 schools are reported for poor and unhygienic conditions. In some cases the inspectors threatened action if steps were ignored after previous warnings... But those in charge of Hampshire's schools denied there was anything for parents to be concerned about. The reports, made by environmental health officers during the last year, included mouse droppings found in three school kitchens, slug trails in one kitchen and a dry food store with a significant mould problem. Daily Echo, 3 May 2007

 

Care Homes

First care home chefs graduate from new Care Catering diploma
The first chefs in the country to receive specialist training to cater for older people in care homes have received their diplomas. Care services minister Ivan Lewis attended a ceremony at Anchor's retirement village at Denham Garden, Buckinghamshire, to congratulate the first 30 graduates. Anchor Homes, which runs more than 100 care homes, launched its accredited catering course Cater Craft in March 2006 to replace the Food Preparation NVQ its chefs previously took. CatererSearch, 18 May 2007
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/05/18/313815/first-care-home-chefs-graduate-from-new-care-catering.html

The National Association of Care Catering Annual Conference 13-14 September 2007
The National Association of Care Catering will hold its annual conference at the Hilton Metropole hotel on 13th and 14th September 2007. Guest speakers for the two-day event include Ivan Lewis, minister for care services; Patrick Holford, Institute of Optimum Nutrition; Ray Mitchell, Age Concern England and Dr Helen Crawley from the Caroline Walker Trust. There will also be a series of chef demonstrations organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs. Visit http://www.thenacc.co.uk/ for more or call 0870 748 0180 to book. CatererSearch, 18 May 2007

 

Hospital Food

Patient meals transformed by local food programme
A plan to provide better hospital meals to patients has been outlined by the Soil Association, in partnership with an NHS trust in Cornwall.  Last year's Which? survey into hospital food standards found that just 18% of NHS patients were satisfied with the overall quality of the food provided. By sharp contrast, the Cornwall project reveals that 92% of patients described the food they were served as 'very good' or 'excellent'. By purchasing food locally, the scheme is also supporting the local economy. There is a sustainability advantage too, with local food procurement being attributed to reducing annual food miles by 67%. Significantly, these results have been achieved without increasing costs, allowing the trust to keep within a budget of £2.50 per patient per day.  HD - Hospital Development, 10 May 2007
http://www.hdmagazine.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=16&storyCode=2044249

New bid for better food in hospitals
Influential political institution the Council of Europe (CoE) has backed moves by NHS caterers to improve the status and standards of hospital food. At the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) national conference at the Hilton London Metropole, the two organisations joined forces to launch a best-practice good nutrition guide for caterers. The 10-point document amalgamates existing guidelines and is intended to e a practical interpretation of the CoE's 100 recommendations on nutritional care in hospitals, which were originally agreed in November 2003. A spokeswoman for the HCA said the aim of the condensed information was to "focus minds on the importance of hospital catering in patient care and recovery", gaining back the momentum lost by the Government's decision to axe the Better Hospital Food Programme last year. CatererSearch, 3 May 2007
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/05/03/313531/new-bid-for-better-food-in-hospitals.html

Fizz taken out of sugary drinks sale in hospitals
Hospitals are to be banned from selling sugar-laden fizzy drinks to staff and visitors in the Lothians as part of a new health drive. The soft drinks will be removed from canteens and cafeterias, while vending machines will be ditched or re-stocked with healthier alternatives. The move has been ordered by NHS Lothian in an effort to help improve the health of staff and patients. The ban covers full sugar soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Irn-Bru, but not diet versions of the same brands. Health chiefs hope the initiative, to be in place by the start of July, will win the hospitals an award for encouraging healthy living. But it has angered some staff, who have described it as "a dictatorial measure" and say it is treating them "like babies". A patients' watchdog, however, has supported the move.  The Scotsman, 23 May 2007
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=800282007

Convicts' food bill dwarfs patients' meal costs
Convicted criminals are having up to four times as much spent on their meals as patients being treated in Merseyside hospitals. The Government has admitted that up £12 a day is being allocated to police forces for each prisoner they are asked to keep in cells when prisons become too full. As a result, the cost of just one meal for a prisoner staying in a police cell will cost the same as all three daily meals cost hospital bosses at Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust, which spends £3.02 a day. The £12 allowance covers prisoners being held in police cells as part of Operation Safeguard, the Home Office scheme introduced to alleviate prison overcrowding. Liverpool Daily Post, 8 May 2007
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=convicts--food-bill-dwarfs-patients-&method=full&objectid=19062328&siteid=50061-name_page.html

RCN launches campaign for better patient nutrition
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has launched a campaign for better patient nutrition after their recent survey revealed that nearly half of UK nurses say they do not have enough time during their working day to ensure patients get good nutrition. The campaign - Nutrition Now - will run throughout 2007 and aims to raise awareness of the importance of food and drink to patient health and to ensure that patients get good nutritional care. A set of RCN Principles for Nutrition and Hydration has also been published to launch the campaign. These give nurses a set of basic guiding principles to improve patient nutrition where they work. These principles have been developed in partnership with frontline nurses, patient groups and other key stakeholders. The RCN Nutrition Now campaign is supported by Abbot Nutrition. Full details of the campaign along with the Principles document and a range of other information can be viewed and downloaded at the RCN's Nutrition Now website at http://www.rcn.org.uk/nutritionnow. Medical News Today, 23 April 2007
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=68743

NHS nurses and managers hear how it feels to go hungry in hospital
Older people told nurses and NHS chief executives how it feels to be ignored and go hungry in hospital at a specially organised event on Friday 11th May.  Sixty people shared their views including Maria Nash, from Barnet, a disabled 60 year-old women who last year was told a hospital couldn't provide food to meet her specialist dietary requirements because of budget cuts. Subsequently she had to become an outpatient and travel to and from hospital every day.  She said: "The hospital told me my dietary requirements would be catered for but when lunchtime came I was left hungry and helpless. NHS boards need to involve patients in developing strategies for providing food to every patient." The event, held at Cavendish Square London, is part of our Age Concern's campaign 'Hungry to be Heard' which aims to end the scandal that six out of ten older patients being malnourished in hospital.  The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence calculates that the NHS would save £13.3 million if it implemented guidelines to tackle malnutrition. The total cost of malnutrition in the UK has been reported to be £7.3 billion a year.  Age Concern, May 2007
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/6E8D8614F6EE436B926A323206214BAF.asp

Food in the Public Sector News - Spring 2007

More public bodies sign up for local food
Work to ensure Scotland’s school-children and hospital patients get to eat more locally reared, farm assured products is gathering pace with another two major public bodies signing up to buy their produce locally. Over the past three years, red meat promotion body Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has been working alongside public sector buyers to help them alter their red meat contracts in-line with Scottish Executive guidance on sustainable procurement. In the last two months, NHS Western Isles and Highland council have become the latest to bring local supplies into their procurement practice.  meatinfo.co.uk, 18/04/2007
http://www.meatinfo.co.uk/articles/30392/More-public-bodies-sign-up-to-source-local.aspx?categoryid=9046

Public procurement offers big scope for local food
Supplying schools and hospitals with quality local food could offer UK farmers a new outlet for their produce, English Farming and Food Partnerships claims. Speaking at an EFFP-organised Routes to Market event in Lancashire on Wednesday 28 March, north-west coordinator Adrian Luckham told 50 farmers and food processors there was untapped potential in food supply to the public sector. To help farmers, EFFP will be launching an educational package Share to Supply – the next development in its collaboration Share to Farm programme which already includes Share to Grow Combinable Crops and Share to Milk. FarmersWeekly,  29/03/2007
http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/03/29/102607/public-procurement-offers-big-scope-for-local-food.html

Farming issues high on Scottish electorate's agenda
Farming and rural affairs have not yet featured to any great extent in the run-up to May's elections to the Scottish parliament. However, farmers and fishermen will be heartened by the findings of a BBC Scotland survey. A balanced sample of 1001 people throughout Scotland were asked to rate 26 policy issues in order of importance. Farming and fishing came seventh, a position far higher than many in the industry might have expected. Stewart Wood, vice-president of National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS), said: "These results are hugely encouraging. Our relationships with both politicians and consumers are all about trying to raise the awareness of farming's potential to contribute to the big issues facing Scotland over the next four years and beyond.” Scotsman.com, 10/04/2007
http://business.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=552802007

Care Homes

Council’s frozen food decision ‘appalling’, says NFU Cymru
A decision by Ceredigion County Council to provide frozen food to those who receive meals from its social services department has ‘appalled’ NFU Cymru. Richard Tudor, the union’s county chairman, said “The decision will only exacerbate the problems local producers have to contend with and makes a mockery of the authority’s commitment to food development enterprises for which primary production will be needed. It also goes against the Welsh Assembly and Welsh Local Government Association’s commitment to procure local food." Farmers Guardian, 20/04/2007
http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=9058

Hospital Food

“Tomorrow's doctors must become more competent in nutrition”
This was the theme of British Medical Association’s Nutrition Lead Dr Sumantra Ray’s address to the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) 2007 National Conference. He examined the Council of Europe recommendations for hospital nutrition and why catering should be considered a clinical service. He also highlighted the need for a multi-disciplinary approach and for all disciplines to take greater responsibility for patient feeding. Dr Ray said that many of today’s doctors are ill equipped to advise their patients on diet and called on “tomorrow’s doctors” to gain competencies in both clinical and public health nutrition.  Alison McCree, National Chairman of the HCA, agreed with Dr Ray, saying: “Normal food has always been and will continue to be the cheapest form of medicine and its therapeutic role within the healing process should never be under-estimated”. Healthcare Republic, 26-04-07
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/PressRelease/653421/Tomorrows-doctors-become-competent-nutrition/

Patients 'at risk of malnutrition'
Patients are at risk of malnutrition because there are not enough nurses to make sure they are properly fed, according to a new poll. Almost half (46%) of nurses said there were not enough staff to help patients who may need help with eating and drinking. A similar number (42%) said they do not have enough time to make sure patients eat properly. The poll comes six years after the Government spent £40 million on a Better Hospital Food programme for the NHS. The Department of Health scrapped the scheme last year and the funding is now given directly to NHS trusts. Channel 4 News, 18/04/2007
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/patients+at+risk+of+malnutrition/445302

Patient panel puts hospital food to the test
A group of patients is to be set up to monitor the food being served in Lothian hospitals. NHS Lothian this week launched its new nutritional care strategy, which will aim to ensure patients have the choice of healthier meals. A varied selection of food - some with reduced fat, salt and sugar - is to be offered at all the region's hospitals, including the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The patient group will be able to review menus and make suggestions for improvements.  The Scotsman, 31/03/2007
http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=501152007

Hot and cross over buns
Poole Hospital refused to serve hot cross buns to patients on Good Friday amid fears the cakes might offend religious minorities. That is the claim from angry kitchen staff who contacted the Daily Echo to reveal how they had been inundated with calls from nurses saying how disappointed patients did not receive the traditional Easter treat. Dorset Echo, 10/04/2007
http://www.thisisdorset.net/display.var.1317501.0.hot_and_cross_over_buns.php

School Food

School Food trust enlists celebrities to promote healthy eating
The School Food Trust has signed up a host of celebrities including footballer Frank Lampard, pop star Myleene Klass and cricketer Andrew Flintoff to appear in a nationwide poster campaign promoting healthy eating. The campaign will see more than 100,000 posters appearing in school canteens to encourage children to try the new healthy school dinners. Prue Leith, chair of the School Food Trust, said “I’m delighted that so many famous faces are helping to promote the changes that have taken place in school food. We need young people to recognise that that food is fuel for the body and mind and that if they eat better, they will not only feel better but also perform better.”  CatererSearch.com, 17/04/2007
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/04/17/313154/school-food-trust-enlists-celebrities-to-promote-healthly.html

65,000 children take part in Beefy and Lamby school dinner trials
More than 60,000 school children across Cumbria, Derbyshire and North Tyneside will be eating quality English beef and lamb from next week. It comes after an English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) driven exercise to link local suppliers with their local education authorities and get Quality Standard Mark meat onto school dinner menus. EBLEX now expect other local authorities to follow the example of the first three trial counties, which included more than 750 schools in total. The school meals initiative comes as the industry gears up for the Year of Food and Farming in schools across the UK starting from this September. EBLEX chief executive Richard Ali said their moves to get more quality meat into schools would help to reconnect the younger generation with farming. Farmers Guardian, 19/04/2007
http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=9019

After-school cookery lessons to rekindle a love for good food
Plans for a national network of up to 4,000 after-school cookery clubs in England will be unveiled this week, in the first move of its kind designed to teach youngsters and their parents basic cooking skills together and encourage them to enjoy food. But the initiative from the School Food Trust (SFT) depends largely on securing funding from the National Lottery. The new campaign will target parents as well as primary school children and younger teenagers, and will pay for volunteers associated with a school - teachers, governors or parents - to be trained to run the clubs in schools or local community halls. The Guardian, 27/03/2007
http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2043611,00.html

Farmers' markets key to ending child obesity?
Forget turkey twizzlers - a new generation of children is switching to organic apples, homegrown potatoes and homemade fruit smoothies, according to the growers behind a new farmers' market movement. The claim comes as farmers' markets make their way from the market hall to the playground in a pioneering initiative. Welsh producers bring their food to pupils, parents, grandparents and teachers, to help tackle childhood obesity, reduce food miles and to boost the local economy at the same time. Caroline Davies, of the Children Agriculture Food Education (CAFE) project, said she hoped the traditional market stalls, crammed with fresh fruit and vegetables, and local Welsh lamb and beef would break consumers' "supermarket mentality". Western Mail, 10/04/2007
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_headline=--farmers--markets-going-to-school-to-fight-child-obesity--&method=full&objectid=18882077&siteid=50082-name_page.html

School dinner firm axed after parents complain
In the London borough of Islington controversial school dinner provider Scolarest has been dumped in favour of a new company. It follows a catalogue of negative feedback from parents and teachers about the international catering giant. Problems with Scolarest included a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables and union complaints over pay and conditions. Cater Link will take over the lucrative Islington contract from September for an undisclosed sum and have pledged to include up to 90 per cent fresh produce in their menus. As part of the bidding process, for the first time parents were consulted. Town Hall leader James Kempton said that Cater Link use local fresh food to create varied, healthy and enjoyable meals. Islington Tribune, 13/04/2007
http://www.thecnj.co.uk/islington/041307/news041307_14.html

Report shows 74 per cent of fruit and vegetables destined for schools contained pesticides
These are the findings of a report recently published by the Pesticide Residues Committee after they conducted a programme of pesticide residue testing in fruit and vegetables supplied to school children. Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, commented on the results: “Unbelievably, we learn yet again that pesticides are turning up in fruit and vegetables supplied to school children. Yet again the government tells us this is nothing to be worried about and that 'none of the residues detected were expected to affect the health of children eating the produce.’” WhyOrganic, 01/05/2007 
http://www.whyorganic.org/talk_newsflash.asp#article2

Other

New Food Climate Research Network (FCRN) website goes live
The new FCRN website is now online. It is a comprehensive source of information on matters food and climate related. The address, as before, is http://www.fcrn.org.uk/. Food Climate Research Network, 01/05/2007
http://www.fcrn.org.uk/

USA: States introduce Local Food Bills to combat the effects of the globalised food system
In an unprecedented shift, state lawmakers are introducing bills mandating
government purchase of local foods even if costs increase slightly. To
counteract our ever-growing global food system, local food bills have been
introduced in eight states - Vermont, Illinois, Nebraska, New Jersey, New
Mexico, Montana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin - aimed at boosting state economies while simultaneously promoting locally grown sustainable foods. Only a handful of multi-national corporations manufacture and market 95%

Procurement News Update - 28/03/2007

Care Homes

Elderly people suffer malnutrition in care homes
The Government has admitted that some elderly people suffer from malnutrition in care homes and hospitals, years after being alerted to the scandal by charities. Gordon Lishman, the director-general of Age Concern, said, "The prevalence of malnutrition in older patients is a disgrace." The toll of malnutri