Production, and supply of food for patients
Annwyl [Authority name],
I am writing to make a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act, for information held by your NHS Trust (health board) about the food production methods and catering procedures employed within the Trust's healthcare facilities.
For the purposes of clarity, I am referring to food that is prepared for, or otherwise supplied to patients by the Trust. This would likely, predominantly, be food supplied to in-patients; but it may well also include any restaurants supplied by your catering department (e.g., cafés, where supplied).
## Food Production Methods:
RFI 1: Does the Trust produce food for patients in-house? If so, please clarify whether this is carried out on a central site (e.g., central production unit), or within each individual hospital. If there is a mixture of both, please clarify, where possible.
RFI 2: If food is not produced in-house, please provide details on whether it is produced by a third-party facilities contractor (e.g., under a PFI agreement), or purchased from external sources, in frozen (or chilled) format.
Where possible, for RFI 1 and 2, please also clarify the arrangements for delivery-to-patient (e.g., is the food supplied to wards and then reheated on-site, or is some other reheating method used).
RFI 3: For in-patient meals, what is the average cost per meal, to the Trust?
## Recipe and Cooking Method Information:
RFI 4: In the event that the Trust produces food in-house, please supply a copy of the recipes, and cooking / preparation methods utilised by the catering department for standardised food items. I would imagine that this information would be readily available, owing to standardisation of menu items [1].
This would include information on ingredients, preparation steps, cooking temperatures, and any relevant nutritional considerations (e.g., it might be noted on menus that certain items are suitable for those on restricted diets, or that some menu items have specific allergens).
RFI 5: If you do not produce food in-house, please confirm whether you hold standardised information as to what items are available (e.g., menus, and nutritional / allergen information), and supply a copy, where possible.
My preference would be to receive any correspondence electronically (as afforded under §11(1)(a) of FoIA), ideally in a format that allows for contents to be interpreted using screen reading software.
If the Trust intends to supply redacted correspondence, I should be grateful if it would ensure that the text itself is "readable", e.g., by ensuring that content is not supplied merely in image format. Similarly, if there is data held in a spreadsheet format, please supply Excel or CSV files - a PDF may, for example, not allow for easy interpretation of the data.
I would hope that the bulk of this information is readily available, given the standardised nature of hospital catering services; however, if it is likely that a "costs" issue will come into play, I would be happy, in the first instance, to limit my request solely to your in-patient facilities (e.g. excluding any retail / staff catering offer).
I look forward to hearing from you within the statutory timescale, however, should you require any clarity, please do not hesitate in contacting me.
Cofion cynnes,
Martyn Dewar
[1] In line with the Welsh Government's National Catering and Nutrition specification for Food and Fluid provision (and any successor): https://www.bapen.org.uk/pdfs/e-learning...
Good Morning Martyn Dewar
Freedom of Information request: Production, and supply of food for patients (CORP 2023-135)
Thank you for your request for the following information which we acknowledge receipt today Monday 21st August 2023.
Your Request:
I am writing to make a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act, for information held by your NHS Trust (health board) about the food production methods and catering procedures employed within the Trust's healthcare facilities.
For the purposes of clarity, I am referring to food that is prepared for, or otherwise supplied to patients by the Trust. This would likely, predominantly, be food supplied to in-patients; but it may well also include any restaurants supplied by your catering department (e.g., cafés, where supplied).
## Food Production Methods:
RFI 1: Does the Trust produce food for patients in-house? If so, please clarify whether this is carried out on a central site (e.g., central production unit), or within each individual hospital. If there is a mixture of both, please clarify, where possible.
RFI 2: If food is not produced in-house, please provide details on whether it is produced by a third-party facilities contractor (e.g., under a PFI agreement), or purchased from external sources, in frozen (or chilled) format.
Where possible, for RFI 1 and 2, please also clarify the arrangements for delivery-to-patient (e.g., is the food supplied to wards and then reheated on-site, or is some other reheating method used).
RFI 3: For in-patient meals, what is the average cost per meal, to the Trust?
## Recipe and Cooking Method Information:
RFI 4: In the event that the Trust produces food in-house, please supply a copy of the recipes, and cooking / preparation methods utilised by the catering department for standardised food items. I would imagine that this information would be readily available, owing to standardisation of menu items [1].
This would include information on ingredients, preparation steps, cooking temperatures, and any relevant nutritional considerations (e.g., it might be noted on menus that certain items are suitable for those on restricted diets, or that some menu items have specific allergens).
RFI 5: If you do not produce food in-house, please confirm whether you hold standardised information as to what items are available (e.g., menus, and nutritional / allergen information), and supply a copy, where possible.
My preference would be to receive any correspondence electronically (as afforded under §11(1)(a) of FoIA), ideally in a format that allows for contents to be interpreted using screen reading software.
If the Trust intends to supply redacted correspondence, I should be grateful if it would ensure that the text itself is "readable", e.g., by ensuring that content is not supplied merely in image format. Similarly, if there is data held in a spreadsheet format, please supply Excel or CSV files - a PDF may, for example, not allow for easy interpretation of the data.
I would hope that the bulk of this information is readily available, given the standardised nature of hospital catering services; however, if it is likely that a "costs" issue will come into play, I would be happy, in the first instance, to limit my request solely to your in-patient facilities (e.g. excluding any retail / staff catering offer).
We will now begin to process your request and will respond as soon as we are able. We aim to provide a full response within the 20 working days as per the legislation.
Should our response to your request breach the statutory timeframe and you remain unhappy with our response you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office and you can contact them at -
Information Commissioner's Office - Wales 2nd Floor, Churchill House, Churchill Way, Cardiff,
CF10 2HH
Telephone: 0330 414 6421
email: [email address]
Kinds regards FOI Team
Velindre University NHS Trust
2, Charnwood Court
Heol Billingsley
Parc Nantgarw
Cardiff
CF15 7QZ
Dear Mr Dewar,
Please find enclosed the Trust's response to your recent request for information.
Kind regards
FOI Team
Velindre University NHS Trust
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