The Countryside Alliance Foundation is calling on the Coalition to introduce a minimum British food buying standards policy for the NHS.

A new freedom of information request by The Countryside Alliance Foundation has revealed that NHS Trusts are not placing British food high enough on the procurement agenda. The Alliance argues that buying British would improve the quality of food being provided to recovering patients, reduce the environmental damage from importing cheap foreign produce, and put money back into the local economy – in particular to hard-pressed British farmers.

Key findings:
37 out of 262 NHS Trusts know where the food they purchase for patients comes from. This equates to just 14 per cent of NHS Trusts who know the origins of the food they are serving to patients

On average, of the 37 NHS Trusts that record where they source food for hospitals, 60 per cent was British in 2008-09. This increased to 62 per cent in 2009-10.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust pioneered a local food procurement programme and estimated in 2004 that direct spending of £1,131,000 with Cornish suppliers had generated additional spending of £910,624 in the local economy

Polling by YouGov reveals that 60 per cent of the British people think that hospitals should buy British meat or meat products, even it if costs more.

Alice Barnard, Chief Executive of The Countryside Alliance Foundation, said:
“Although the current economic conditions are making life difficult for hospitals, the importance of buying high-quality British food should not be overlooked. Evidence has shown that investing in local produce means investing in higher quality food for patients, which in turn improves their recovery, and puts a little back into the local economy. The Countryside Alliance Foundation would like to see the Government buying standards extended to hospitals, to ensure patients, producers and taxpayers are getting the best possible deal from the NHS.”

Further information:
Countryside Alliance