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The Food Programme: Hospital Food: Agents of Change?

Hospital Food: Agents of Change?

BBC Radio 4 - The Food Programme, Hospital Food: Agents of Change?

Sheila Dillon visits a hospital food factory, and will new regulations improve food?

Sheila Dillon visits a hospital food factory preparing frozen meals, and will new regulations in England improve the food?

Hospital food has long had a bad reputation, but after several high profile campaigns, are things finally starting to improve?

In England, new regulations are being implemented which are hoped to transform the meals being served, reduce waste, and make sure staff have access to good food 24/7. 60% of hospitals are already said to be complying - will the rest be able to catch up?  

But with many hospitals now functioning without real kitchens - can frozen or chilled meals that are simply re-heated in hospital be a part of that?  Apetito, one of the biggest caterers, believes they can be, and invited Sheila Dillon to see how they prepare tasty and nutritious food in bulk. 

While in Cambridge, Sheila meets those working on a brand new Children's Hospital and hears how they want good food to be central to the hospital's philosophy. It plans to give patients and their families access to more dining spaces to avoid children eating meals in bed (when possible), and it plans to have it's own kitchens cooking food from scratch. 

Presented by Sheila Dillon
Produced in Bristol by Natalie Donovan

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