Campaigners call for the return of the hospital kitchen

Speaking from the union’s annual health conference, in Glasgow, Mr Prentis urged hospitals to move away from cook chill food production and towards cooking fresh on site, using locally sourced food.

"Instead of bringing flowers or fruit to relatives in hospital, more and more people are taking in food because of complaints from patients. That is why we need mandatory standards, not more ineffective voluntary initiatives.

"Bringing back hospital kitchens creates a virtuous circle by benefiting patients, reinvigorating local economies, helping the environment and protecting staff jobs."

Figures from the union show that four in 10 hospitals in England do not use an on-site kitchen to prepare and cook food for patients. Instead they buy meals that are delivered to them from outside the hospital.

UNISON and the Campaign for Better Hospital Food published the findings to coincide with the health care conference.

Delegates at the conference, including hospital catering staff, are to vote on a motion criticising the government for wasting more than £50 million on failed voluntary initiatives to improve hospital food - enough to build 34 staffed new hospital kitchens.

The motion calls on the Westminster government to follow the example set by the Scottish and Welsh governments and set standards for hospital food in England.

Mr Prentis gave his backing to Keep Hospitals Cooking, which is run by the Campaign for Better Hospital Food and is calling on government to protect hospital kitchens and set mandatory catering standards to ensure hospitals cook freshly cooked food for patients.

He went on to say: "It’s not surprising that hospitals which employ highly skilled catering staff to cook food on the premises are recognised for their high quality food. Well cooked, healthy food should be an integral part of any patient treatment plan. Quality food helps healing and boosts a patient’s physical and psychological health.

"Ensuring more hospitals use their kitchens to cook patient meals would be good for the patient, good for NHS staff, good for the local economy and good for creating much needed jobs”.

Alex Jackson, co-ordinator of the Campaign for Better Hospital Food, said: "Putting kitchens back into the heart of our hospitals would be popular with patients and would give hospital caterers the freedom to buy high quality ingredients from the best local suppliers."

Monday 22 April 2013
UNISON http://www.unison.org.uk/content/ConNewsArticle/3717