This is in response to the standards recommended in the NHS Hospital Food Review of 2020, which noted ‘NHS organisations must be able to demonstrate that they have suitable 24/7 food service provision, which is appropriate for their demographic’.
Tim Radcliffe, net zero food programme manager at NHS England and chair of the NHS 24/7 clinical panel, said: “We need to ensure that we do not penalise staff that do not work standard hours within the NHS.
“Everybody within the NHS has the right to be able to eat nutritious, healthy and appetising food at an affordable price throughout the whole of their shift. We are a 24/7 health service, we need 24/7 food.
“What we want to do is raise the profile of 24/7 catering to ensure that everyone sees it. The eighth standard within the NHS contract is not just there as an add-on, it is a real, meaningful standard that people need to achieve.”
Phil Shelley of NHS England, who chaired the NHS Review of Hospital Food, added: “We know that providing great, healthy food for NHS staff is the right thing to do.
“Speak to each other and learn from each other. Tim often says to me ‘pinch with pride’. Do that, don’t be ashamed that you are stealing someone else’s idea.
“Importantly, 24/7 catering is at the top of the agenda right now and it will also be a focal point for the first time as a question in the staff national survey.
“We want you to be confident that the solution that you choose is actually nutritious, sustainable and it makes you proud. Because if it makes you proud you know you have made the right decision. So take the opportunity to make positive decisions.”
Neely Mozawala, Compass’s social value lead and founder of the campaign ‘No Hungry Staff’, announced that the campaign was growing and she was searching for ambassadors across every hospital Trust in the country.
She said: “We’re here because we all care about 24/7 food for NHS staff that is nutritious, affordable and delicious. We know having poor access to nutritional food can affect your physical health. It’s a fact that shift workers have a higher likelihood of developing chronic conditions such as ischemic heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
“So that’s why it’s important to encourage a healthy diet so we can improve the health of others. It can also affect your mental health. I have had staff reaching out to me telling me they have been living on biscuits and the leftovers of patients meals because they can’t afford food. This is just awful to hear about, which is why food affordability and 24/7 go hand in hand.
“Businesses have a responsibility to provide a high quality service and collaborate with Trusts to benefit you both. This is not about profit. This is about changing people’s lives for the better and it’s about leaving a legacy behind.”
Hayley-Mae Downer, Compass Group UK & Ireland business development director at One Retail, said that the facilities management companies were not competing against each other but the event aimed to make 24/7 catering at hospitals a reality and to inspire hospital Trusts to implement the eighth standard.
The suppliers exhibiting at the event included: Bidfood, SV365, FSG, Kitchen Prep, Unox, Kepak, Yum Chops, social enterprise Change Please, 3D, RSL, One Retail, Cuisine Centre, Nisbets & Cambro, Civica, SoftBank Robotics, Justino Foods, Panasonic, Field Doctor and Meals for the NHS.
Those attending were split into groups and given 15-minute time slots to hear what the suppliers had to say about their products.
Mark Webster, managing director of Compass One, said everyone in the room had a common goal to support the workforce of the NHS, which is the largest employer in Europe. He said food provision was an important factor for staff retention, especially among younger people.
Mike Moss, supply chain director of Foodbuy UK, selected five ‘mega trends’ that have emerged: value for money, convenience, health, inclusion and AI/technology.
Pete Champain, head of innovation at Compass Group, encouraged attendees to embrace technology such as self-service kiosks. He said: “If we work together we can change the face of 24/7 food and drink within hospitals.”
Ian Howson, head of hotel services at Northampton General Hospital, provided a case study for delivering 24/7 catering. He said that people visited the restaurant, especially on fish and chip day, because it offered quality food at a lower price.
Neely Mozawala said: “I think NGH should be very proud of the 24/7 food service it is offering to staff and providing an area where staff can sit and eat and relax. It is great to see how passionate the Trust is in supporting the health and wellbeing of their teams. They are leading the way for other NHS Trusts to follow.”
During a roundtable discussion, research was shared that 70% of NHS Trusts still don’t offer 24/7 catering for staff. Common issues they faced were the quality products, choice and value for money.