Edwina Currie offers recipe for ideal hospital caterer

She told the Hospital Caterers' Association annual conference: "They need to take the lead, be enthusiastic, be well-informed, use their budget wisely and check, check and check again on quality and perception." Currie, a former health minister, was the keynote speaker at the HCA's 64th annual conference which kicked off on April 27 at Wokefield Park near Reading. She said she had experience of hospital food as both a patient and a visitor and the quality had been mixed. "We all know that good food is an essential part of patient recovery but bad food is gross and makes a mockery of your skills and training." She said she had been impressed by the efforts of celebrity chef James Martin, who had gone into Scarborough Hospital with the television cameras to try to help the catering team improve the food on offer. "It struck me that he had several ideas that might work for any of you. He used fresh food, which sometimes even saved time, he used local suppliers and produce, he simplified recipes and geared them to local tastes, and he had regular communication the staff and patients. "He also made sure that the same food was served in the staff and visitor restaurant." She urged hospital caterers struggling to serve hot, nutritious food to patients on busy wards to have regular dialogue with bodies like the Royal College of Nurses. ""You're in it together. So identify your friends and help them to work with you." Lastly, she told the conference: "Hospital caterers should definitely be on every board and the board members and management should be eating in your restaurants every day." The conference continues tomorrow (April 28th).