My name is a signature on a story many of us share. As an in patient at  Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, I, alongside countless others, am a face to an insidious issue in U.K hospitals - poor patient nutrition. As a cancer patient receiving treatment for severe malnutrition, I have first-hand knowledge of the dire state of food service in our healthcare facilities.

The food served to patients is often processed, pre-packaged, and microwaved - outsourced from private suppliers, stripping it of any potential nutritional value. In fact, a campaign for better hospital food in October 2020 confirmed that the current provisions lack both taste and nutritional benefits crucial for patient recovery.

The implications extend beyond taste and satisfaction. The link between nutrition and patient recovery is well established. Efficient nutrient consumption aids in healing, reduces the risk of complications, and can even reduce hospital stays.

However, the issue not only centres around the meal served but the education of hospital staff regarding the nutritional value and benefits of these foods. To ensure patients are served healthier foods, medical professionals must be trained and kept up-to-date on current nutritional knowledge, including the understanding of food allergies and intolerances.

The amount of nutrition training that doctors and nurses receive in the UK varies, but it's often less than what's recommended.

Most medical schools in the UK provide as little as 6 hours of nutrition training over five years. However, the General Medical Council (GMC) doesn't set specific quantities or qualities for nutrition education.

A study found that 70% of medical students and doctors reported receiving fewer than two hours of nutrition teaching while in medical school.

Upon speaking to Doctors and nurses during my in patient care at Salford Royal, most are in agreement that these changes are imperative to meet the needs for patient health and recovery, reduction of food waste, shorter hospital stays, and food education for both medical staff and patients. 

Therefore, we call upon the U.K. Department of Health and Social Care to revise the nutrition guidelines for food served to patients, ensuring meals are richer in nutrient quality, freshly prepared on site, free from additives and processing, to provide more comprehensive training for all members of hospital staff regarding nutritional knowledge, and to put a bigger focus on understanding food allergies and intolerances.

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Please sign and share this petition and join us in healing the disease of malnutrition in our healthcare system.