Scottish Government Consultation on Proposed Options to Improve and Assure the Nutritional Standard of Food in NHSScotland Hospitals

Options and proposal for consultation

This consultation paper is inviting respondents to comment on one or all four proposed options to improve and assure the nutritional standards of food in hospitals.

1. Define nutritional standards, based on criteria set out in the 'Food in Hospitals' guidance, and place those nutritional standards for food provided to patients in NHS hospitals on a statutory footing. Scotland would become the first nation in the UK to place these nutritional standards on a statutory basis. This option would provide legal, minimum nutritional standards which every NHS Board would have to achieve and maintain. Consideration would have to be given to how adherence to the legislation would be monitored and enforced, and whether an independent scrutiny regime would be required.

2. Develop nutritional standards based on 'Food in Hospitals' guidance and establish a new, independent scrutiny regime that specifically monitors the nutritional standard of food in NHS hospitals. This option would differ from option one as nutritional standards would not be placed on a statutory footing. Improvements could be yielded if standards of nutrition for food in NHS hospitals were targeted for specific monitoring. The legislative option would remain open if improvements were not made.

3. Strengthen existing Health Facilities Scotland and NHS Board audit and monitoring of the nutritional standards of food served to patients in NHS hospitals based on 'Food in Hospitals' and ensure existing arrangements to improve and assure these. Non-compliance would continue to be corrected through the current policy of co-operation, guidance and support.

4. Maintain the status quo, NHS Boards will continue to self-assess their adherence to the refreshed guidance set out in 'Food in Hospitals'. Health Facilities Scotland would continue to publish 6 monthly audit reports based on the self-assessments provided to them by the NHS Boards.