On the first day of the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) Learning and Development forum Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary announced their pledge to make the mandatory nutritional standards for hospital food legally enforceable putting them on the same footing as school food.
Ashworth said;
“Let me reiterate under a Labour Government high quality hospital catering will be at the heart of our vision for the NHS with legally enforced standards for hospitals meals, fully resourced and given the support from government to be delivered in-house.”
During Ashworth’s contribution to the HCA Forum, he mentioned his pleasure in meeting long serving member, Ann Shaw, who has served 50 years in the NHS. He continues by commending the association for playing their part in every illness and endorses the HCA’s ‘Food is the best form of medicine’ campaign.
Ashworth adds:
“And as we celebrate 70 years of the NHS this July and as you celebrate 70 years as an association you can be proud of all you have achieved, and you have my commitment to working together in the coming years to improve and support the high quality care every patient deserves.”
Stewart McKenzie, National Chair of the HCA comments:
“The Hospital Caterers Association is fully behind and supports the call for mandatory nutritional standards being regulated called by Jonathan Ashworth today. We’ve campaigned tirelessly for these to be regulated and ask for the current government to adopt these measures. We believe funds should be ring-fenced to support this.”
Prior to the forum, Ashworth took up HCA forum chair Andy Jones’ invitation to visit Nottingham University Hospital, to experience first-hand the work done by hospital caterers.