Nutritional Standards in Health and Social Care
- Project start date: 26 August 2021
- Project status: Completed
- Project type: Nutrition
- Discipline: Nutritional standards
Research objective
In line with key objectives of the regional obesity prevention strategy A Fitter future for all 2012–2022, the Public Health Agency, Food Standards Agency and Safefood together developed minimum nutritional standards for catering in health and social care (HSC) settings in Northern Ireland.
These standards support people working in Health Service catering businesses who want to offer consumers a choice of affordable, healthy and sustainable food.
Outputs
Research report
- Title: Nutritional Standards in Health and Social Care
- Publication date: 2 March 2022
- Summary: These updated Standards aim to ensure that healthier food choices are in place for staff and visitors in Health and Social Care settings, such as in restaurants, coffee shops, vending machines, canteens and hospital shops.
- Findings:
Updated Nutritional Standards have been developed, which are designed to make the food on offer for staff and visitors in hospital restaurants, cafés and vending machines healthier.
Settings such as restaurants, coffee shops and workplace canteens, including those in in the health service, can impact on the quality of the food we eat and how much we eat through the food choices they offer.
Safefood, The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Public Health Agency (PHA) have jointly produced Nutritional Standards in partnership with Health and Social Care colleagues, so that healthier food choices are in place for staff and visitors in Health and Social Care settings, as well as private retail and vending machines.
The original standards first introduced in 2017 have been updated taking into account the latest evidence and guidance. This has led to, for example, increasing fruit and vegetables and wholegrains while decreasing the amount of saturated fat, salt and processed meats. In addition to specific guidance for each food group, these now also address the topics of vending and the food environment.
*The standards do not apply to patient food and beverage provision because there are already standards in place for food and beverages served to patients.
You can download the report below.
