The separate NHS Plans for England and Wales have raised the profile of hospital catering. They both set out agendas for providing 'Better Hospital Food' by improving the range of meals available for patients, the quality of the food and its nutritional content. In May 2001 a national NHS menu designed by leading chefs was introduced in England and trusts must now give patients access to a 24-hour catering service. The agenda for catering services now rightly includes quality and nutrition as well as cost.
Patients' food is not the only concern of hospital catering services. Providing a service for patients may account for less than half of a catering department's activity, most hospitals also provide food for staff and visitors and raise revenue in this way. This review covers both patient and non-patient services. It also considers the roles of dieticians, nurses, porters, housekeepers and support staff in delivering the catering service.
This review reports the national results of an investigation of hospital catering carried out recently by the Audit Commission as part of its Acute Hospital Portfolio. It is based on data for 1999/2000. Almost all NHS hospitals in England and Wales were involved, as were the external contractors who provide services to some trusts. Comparative data were collected and used by auditors to produce a tailored performance assessment for each NHS trust and recommend any necessary further audit work.