Caterers voice concerns over NHS food plans

The Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) has written to the Department of Health to highlight what it believes are gaps and flaws in the proposals to improve hospital catering.

The HCA said that while the £10m extra funding appeared a large sum at first sight, it equates to just 4p per meal measured against the total meals a day served by the health service.

Chairman Pam Miller said the association is especially concerned about the cost implication of the pledge to provide a 24-hour food service in hospitals.

She said: "Is this going to be a free service or will patients pay for extra meal services? The cost of providing food in the middle of the night is going to be a lot more than 4p a meal."

The association has also questioned the Department of Health proposal that "top chefs" be brought in to devise menus.

Miller said: "Top chefs are used to using top ingredients costing top price and have little knowledge of large-scale production.

"A large proportion of food supplied by hospital caterers is bought in, manufactured in commercial food production units. How could these manufacturers change mass food production to account for what these top chefs suggest?"