Can We Transform Hospital Food? MyNutriWeb NutriTalks Leads the Debate

MyNutriWeb’s latest NutriTalks brought together healthcare, catering and nutrition leaders to explore how food can be repositioned as therapy within the NHS, supporting recovery, dignity, and sustainability across hospital care. Food needs to be regarded as therapy, not just a service.

What role can food really play in healthcare?

That was the question discussed at MyNutriWeb’s latest NutriTalks event, “Can We Transform Hospital Food?” An inspiring debate bringing together leaders from the fields of nutrition, healthcare, and food service.

The session explored how hospital food can evolve from just a basic service to become an essential part of patient recovery, well-being and dignity.

“Good practice is happening, it just needs to travel better,” said Professor Kevin Morgan, reflecting on the need to scale innovation across NHS trusts.

“Nutrition isn’t rocket science, it’s harder,” he added, highlighting the complexity and importance of feeding patients well within large healthcare systems.

Expertly designed and curated by MyNutriweb kit Founder Tanya Haffner and chaired by Professor Mary Hickson, the expert panel featured:

Professor Morgan suggested that while nutritional science is clear, applying it consistently across hospitals requires strong leadership, multidisciplinary collaboration, and sustained investment. “We know what good looks like, now we need to make it universal,” he concluded.

Philip Shelley’s shared his vision for progress, citing insights from his continued work implementing the review’s recommendations. His 10-point framework for change focuses on raising standards across leadership, staff training, facilities, sustainability and patient experience.

Shelley outlined the importance of recognising catering and nutrition teams as part of the clinical care process.

 “Feeding patients well is a collective responsibility,” he said. “It’s about chefs, dietitians, clinicians and estates working together to deliver the same goal, recovery through food.”

He emphasised the need to share best practice nationally, calling for systems that connect successful local models with trusts still struggling to modernise. “Good work is happening,” Shelley added, “but it must travel faster.”

Bringing a sustainability lens, Dr Shireen Kassam highlighted the role of hospital food in addressing the climate crisis.

“The climate crisis is directly impacting our health; through air, land, and water pollution. Yet 85% of farmland is used for livestock,” she said. Hospitals can take the lead with menus that are better for people and for the planet.

Referencing the EAT-Lancet Commission, she encouraged the NHS to embrace plant-rich menus that align with public health goals and environmental targets, an approach that also supports cost efficiency and long-term resilience.

Sheila West-Harding MBE, a chef, educator and cancer survivor, brought a deeply personal perspective to the debate.

Tanya Haffner, Founder, MyNutriWeb

 

“Older adults deserve dignity at mealtimes,” she said. “Sometimes people are given food they can’t reach, or meals that don’t suit their needs. Hospitals can play a vital role in helping people to help themselves.”

Drawing from her experience working with Feeding Devon and the University of Plymouth, she emphasised the importance of education, accessibility and compassion in food service. “Nutrition isn’t yet a core part of healthcare training, and we need to change that,” she added.

Throughout the discussion, the panel agreed that hospital food should be viewed as therapy, integral to treatment, patient outcomes, and staff wellbeing. Anna Taylor OBE pointed out that, just as school food standards drive performance, hospital food accreditation systems could establish benchmarks for excellence and promote national consistency.

The event also provided an excellent opportunity to share and distribute our new book, connecting directly with the very audience it was created for: healthcare food, nutrition and sustainability stakeholders dedicated to improving the future of hospital catering.

Huge thanks to MyNutriWeb for hosting another valuable, evidence-based platform that continues to connect science, policy, and practice, empowering professionals to place nutrition at the core of healthcare.

Discover upcoming NutriTalks and professional development opportunities at mynutriweb.com