I recently visited a relative in York hospital and was shocked to see the menu options. There was not a single item identified as being plant-based and suitable for vegans - typically ‘VG’ - shown on the menu, nor were any allergens shown. Patients, staff and visitors should be provided with relevant information in order to make empowered and informed choices.

Many hospitals already provide vegan specific menus. The growth of veganism and the general availability of plant-based foods has increased dramatically over recent years and it is to the detriment of the health and wellbeing of staff, visitors and patients in York hospital that this diet is not only not promoted, but not even clearly offered as an option.

It is not enough for York hospital to simply say that vegan options can be offered on request. Vegans are clearly being treated less favourably than non-vegans, disadvantaged and discriminated against at a time of vulnerability following an accident or illness, when assistance and nutritional support should be readily available to aid recovery.

As you’ll be aware, a vegan/plant-based diet is a universally acceptable diet for most cultures and religions. There is a wealth of evidence showing that it is a very healthy dietary choice for everyone, not just for vegans. Vegan diets tend to be rich in nutrients and low in saturated fats.

Research suggests that the diet can improve heart health and hypertension, protect against cancer and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. The World Health Organisation has made it quite clear that consumption of processed meat is “carcinogenic to humans” and that consumption of red meat is “probably carcinogenic to humans”.

Veganism is protected by human rights legislation and is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 and it is my belief that York hospital may be in breach of this Act. The Act outlaws direct and indirect discrimination, victimisation and harassment.

People who hold protected beliefs are entitled to manifest those beliefs, by living in accordance with them, subject only to restrictions prescribed by law and necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.

These rights flow primarily from Article 18 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. State bodies, such as hospitals, schools and prisons, as an extension of the state, have the duty to comply with these rights.

Article 6 of The Human Rights Act states that it is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right.

It is also unlawful to discriminate against vegans, as protected beliefs are relevant characteristics in terms of the EU Equality Framework Directive (2000), which was incorporated into the UK through the Equality Act 2010.

In addition to being cogent, serious, coherent and important, the conviction that it is wrong to exploit and kill animals unnecessarily has been recognised as a protected philosophical belief. It is a belief or conviction and not merely an opinion, it regards a weighty and substantial aspect of human life and behaviour, and it is worthy of respect in a democratic society; as such, it is unlawful to discriminate against vegans, either directly because they are vegan, or indirectly, when an apparently neutral policy or practice causes them a disadvantage due to their vegan convictions.

The International Vegan Rights Alliance advise that any interference that limits a vegan’s practice may amount to coercion into a belief not of their choosing.

You may be interested to learn that in New York, NYC Health + Hospitals, the country’s largest municipal health system, has made plant-based food the default (plants-by-default) for inpatient meals in all 11 city hospitals with a satisfaction rate of over 90% and a significant reduction in costs and carbon emissions. Anyone who wants meat has to make a special request.

The New York Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, Executive Director Kate MacKenzie said: “NYC Health + Hospitals is taking a significant step forward in acknowledging the role of plant-based food in patient care with the expansion of this program. Access to culturally diverse, nutritious food in our hospitals helps introduce healthy diets and habits that patients can maintain once discharged. With the assistance of the NYC Health + Hospitals Food Service team and registered dieticians, the city is educating patients about the benefits of plant-powered diets and strategies to implement them in their daily lives empowering New Yorkers to make healthier food choices”.

While here in the UK, an open letter to the NHS in Scotland from a group of doctors reads: “At this time of health and climate crises, we, the undersigned, urge NHS Scotland to switch to vegan menus for patients in hospitals. Replacing meat, eggs, and dairy with vibrant vegan foods is vital if we are to protect the health of Scottish people and the planet. It is a dereliction of duty that meals offered in hospitals are often far from healthy and can even include red and processed meats, which are known to be carcinogenic.”

It compares serving meat to “distributing cigarettes in the pulmonary-care unit.” It adds: “Switching to 100 percent vegan menus … would help NHS Scotland improve patient recovery, reduce costs, prevent animal suffering, and meet its commitment to reaching net-zero carbon emissions.”

A study “The impact of higher uptake of plant-based diets in England” to investigate the benefits to the NHS if more people were to adopt a vegan diet carried out by the Office of Health Economics (the world’s oldest independent economics research organisation) revealed that the NHS could save £6.7 billion over a year if everyone adopted a vegan diet (and a total net benefit to the NHS of around £18.8 billion when QALYs are valued at £70,000).

The study goes on to say: “strong evidence shows that plant-based diets are associated with better health outcomes for some of England’s most significant causes of disease burden. Higher rates of plant-based diet adoption may bring considerable cost savings for the NHS and generate substantial health benefits for the population. Policymakers should consider the relevance of these estimates to their settings and the potential for interventions that support healthy dietary changes that contribute to population health”. “The majority of potential savings are realised through the avoidance of almost 1.3 million cases of type 2 diabetes”.

One of the authors of the report, Dr Chris Sampson, commented: "There is now compelling evidence that plant-based diets can benefit people's health. Our analysis takes a significant step towards understanding how dietary choices impact population health and NHS expenditure overall. For every million people making the switch to a vegan diet the anticipated reduction in illness could save the NHS a staggering £121 million."  

A strong plant-based offering is one that provides choice, including options for both nutritionally well and vulnerable people. This ensures that nutritional care can be provided in a way that respects equality and diversity, and meets the Care Quality Commission’s standards: “When a person has specific dietary requirements relating to moral or ethical beliefs, such as vegetarianism, these requirements must be fully considered and met. Every effort should be made to meet people’s preferences…”.

A strong plant-based offering can also have a positive impact on sustainability, which is part of the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering. For example, vegan diets have been associated with the lowest emissions of carbon dioxide. Vegan options tend to be high in fibre and low in saturated fat, which makes them particularly valuable for staff, visitors and patients who are nutritionally well.

The Nutrition and Hydration Digest “Improving outcomes through food and beverage services” states “Statistics indicate that over 700,000 NHS employees are obese and that over half of all the food provided in NHS hospitals is sold to staff and visitors. The NHS is in the middle of a step-change to make hospitals beacons of good practice in supporting staff and visitors to make healthier choices when buying food and drink sold on NHS premises”.

It would set a great example if York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust were to become a beacon of best practice and develop an exciting plant-based menu to the health benefit of their patients, staff and visitors, the welfare of animals and the environment. The Vegan Society has worked with institutions in developing healthier plant-based diets, so why not get in touch with them?