The NHS can be a challenging place to work, particularly because it is so hard to change. When I see a problem I want to fix it, and that is just not the pace at which the NHS works! A problem I am confronted with several times a day is NHS food. The food we serve to NHS patients and staff is nothing less than a disgrace. It does not align with the best evidence on how to use nutrition to support health and recovery; many meals eaten by thousands of patients in NHS beds today will have contributed to the very problems making them sick. This is before we even consider the contribution that the food system makes to the climate crisis, or the lack of compassion shown towards sentient animals with whom we share this planet.
Nutritious plant-based meals served in New York Hospitals
Over the last few years I have dedicated an increasing amount of time to bringing attention to the urgent task of changing our food system. In this work I stand alongside my colleague Dr Shireen Kassam who is both an ally and an inspiration. It’s rare to find a kindred spirit who is excited and enraged by the same things as I am: Shireen is that rarity. As we get closer to the launch of our campaign Plants First Healthcare, we wrote for BMJ Leader, making the case that it is high time healthcare organisations led by example in the food we serve to staff and patients.
Why are hospitals, places people rely on to restore their health, serving food that makes them sick?
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