Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS trusts have a named board member with responsibility for hospital food.

NHS England is collecting data about trusts’ progress in implementing the eight mandatory elements of the Hospital Food and Drink Standards, including trusts having a named board member with responsibility for hospital food. The results are expected by March 2024.

Results from NHS England’s latest survey into patient’s assessment of their care survey published in March 2023 show a 90% approval on food/hydration, which demonstrates the overall impact of the improvements being made to hospital food such as the roll out of the eight mandatory Hospital Food and Drink Standards.