The broadcast of the third series of ‘Operation Hospital Food’ starring celebrity chef, James Martin began on Monday 24 February with James Martin again taking on the task of trying to transform food at a number of NHS hospitals across the country.
The two previous BBC series featuring James Martin were successful in highlighting the limited resources with which many hospital catering managers have to operate, and the HCA Hospital Caterers Association) has welcomed the third series.
As a highly respected chef, James Martin is helping to ensure that the subject of hospital food and its role as a vital part of a patient’s recovery plan is kept top of mind for the Government and NHS Trusts. He has also helped to demonstrate the huge challenges that face hospital caterers in providing a food and beverage service to a diverse range of patients in different hospital environments and on limited budgets.
Andy Jones, Chair, Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) comments:
“I am delighted to see James Martin back on our screens with ‘Operation Hospital Food’. The programmes will showcase his new ideas to help hospital catering teams to produce the tastiest and nutritious food possible, on even the tightest budgets.
Lack of investment + limited food costs
“The new series is also focusing on the serious issues facing hospital caterers including the lack of investment in hospital kitchens and the limited food costs that many caterers are working with. With James stressing the significant contribution good food makes to patient wellbeing, nutritional care and recovery, the important underlying message to the Government and NHS Trust Boards is that nutritious, wholesome food is the simplest and best form of medicine. As such, it should be given far higher priority throughout the health care sector”.
HCA support for the series
“…it can be clearly seen from the first programme aired today (24 February) that the HCA has fully supported the BBC in the making of this production because of the way James and the BBC team were planning this new series.
“Firstly, we were impressed that they genuinely wanted to harness the expertise of the Association and its Members in order to show as realistic a picture as possible of the principle obstacles to achieving good patient food service faced by many hospital caterers across the country.
“Secondly, James is equally as passionate as us about wanting to see food fully accepted as part of a patient’s recovery programme. That has definitely come across in the first programme”.
Correct funding
“No matter whether a hospital has a traditional on site cooking facility or if it operates a cook chill or cook freeze system, all can have their difficulties if they are not funded correctly.
“In order to address a range of quality issues and establish uniform standards across the country, the HCA is calling for a minimum food spend per patient per day as part of a campaign for the introduction of mandatory national nutritional standards for hospital food. We also want to stop CIP’s (Cost Improvement Programmes) being applied to catering as short term solutions versus more effective long term funding..
Passion and commitment needed to bring about real change
“As could also be determined from today’s first programme, James also shares our desire to work closely with catering professionals in healthcare settings where standards are lower by increasing knowledge and skills such as through effective training and the adoption of operational and dietetic tools and guides such as those produced by the HCA and the British Dietetic Association (BDA).
“However, no matter how many new ideas, outside assistance or training provided, the key message both James and the HCA want to get across from the programmes is that it has to be a genuine passion and commitment from the board down and the caterer up that will be the ultimate drivers for bringing about real change and improved standards.”
BBC Website: www.bbc.co.uk/operationhospitalfood
The site features dozens of recipes that have all been approved by the BDA, as well as help and advice for hospital catering teams on such topics as how to maximize profits from on-site restaurants and how to find a way through the procurement processes.
For those hospitals that operate a cook-chill rather than cook serve system, there will be advice on how to supplement the meals with fresh soups and salads.
The aim of all of the ideas is not to cost more money but in some cases, even to reduce costs wherever possible.
All of the ideas shown in the series have been successfully rolled out across a number of hospitals within the UK. The BBC site will also feature links to the HCA website particularly to key sections such as those that outline the recent progress the HCA has made on key issues relating to local procurement and the work being conducted by some HCA Members to upgrade or replace some of the recipes included on the Better Hospital Food menu selector.
The BBC website is a free resource intended to support hospital catering teams so they can provide the best possible service for patients. The HCA urges all Members to visit and fully utilise the site so that they can assess which ideas could be implemented by their hospital teams.
Campaign for Better Hospital Food
The Campaign for Better Hospital Food which has been co-ordinated by Sustain, has been calling for mandatory quality standards for hospital food in England. The Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) is a staunch supporter of the Campaign and the call for new legislation to make quality standards compulsory for all NHS hospitals in England.