We are developing a ‘whole hospital’ approach to food. Having a blank canvas to work from allows us to be visionary in our work and in our planning.
One size doesn't fit all
Emma Goodchild, Clinical lead nurse
When it comes to food in hospital, one size doesn't fit all, according to clinical lead nurse, Emma Goodchild.
“The idea of healthy eating doesn’t fit everyone’s needs," she explains. "Children and young people with certain physical or mental health conditions may have very specific and varied dietary requirements. We have to balance this.”
Emma is a member of our Food Workstream (opens in a new tab), a working group whose remit is to develop a food vision and strategy for the new hospital. It launched last Spring, soon after our successful ‘Food, with Care’ conference (opens in a new tab). The workstream draws on the expertise of clinicians, parents and academics.
Workstream leads, Dr Nancy Bostock, consultant paediatrician at The Croft Child and Family Unit, and Caroline Heyes, lead dietitian at Addenbrooke's Hospital, were interviewed for a special edition of BBC Radio 4's Food Programme (opens in a new tab) about food in hospital. Regional ambassador Sarah Langford also took part.
"What's so exciting about the possibilities for Cambridge is to be able to do this from the beginning," she told presenter, Sheila Dillon. "Unlike trying to turn around an existing procurement strategy, the hospital has the potential to be able to build it from the ground up, with a view to putting healthy food right at the heart of it.
Nancy talked through the floorplans, explaining how the design offers the opportunity for parents and children, even staff, to eat together, inside and outside.
The first thing we are sighted on doing is trying to create positive relationships for children, with food, that will last them throughout their lifetime.
Caroline Heyes, Food workstream co lead, BBC Radio 4 Food Programme
Fresh healthy food, eating together, sustainability, reducing food waste, patient and staff wellbeing, even technology, are all key elements of developing the new strategy.
Parent Coproduction Champions Sarah Asbury and Shakila Bukhari joined the food workstream at the start. Both have experience of caring for their children in hospital, for physical and mental health conditions.
While food is paramount to the recovery of a child or young person, Sarah firmly believes that the support network around them must to be considered.
“It is essential that staff are well hydrated and have time and space to eat in order to care for our children and young people. Families supporting the person in hospital also need to have affordable, instantly available food to keep their own strength up."
A malnourished mother is no help to a recovering child.
Sarah Asbury, Coproduction Champion
Shakila remembers during her time in hospital being unable to enjoy food in the way others could.
“For me, food represents a cultural invitation and join up of families and strangers alike. My experiences curtailed that social and cultural aspect because we simply couldn’t join in and enjoy food in the way others could, with ease and comfort.”
Senior Research Assistant, Elena Neri, from the University of Hertfordshire will draw from national and international standards and find the latest academic evidence to inform the strategy. She will be talking to children, young people, families and NHS staff about how food can fulfil people’s needs.
“I think that Western society has a tendency to separate the mind from the body, and, when it comes to health, to medicalise food and talk about it only in terms of nutrients and calories. This is the first time that people from completely different backgrounds and expertise are coming together to create a food vision that really thinks of food from a holistic perspective, giving due importance to the social, cultural, environmental and educational dimensions of eating.”
You can hear more from members of our food workstream in this special blog (opens in a new tab).