Hospital Catering and Patient Nutrition - Fourth Assembly

The Auditor General for Wales published his report Hospital Catering and Patient Nutrition in March 2011. He found that hospital catering services in Wales have improved since 2002, but that more needs to be done to improve nutritional care for hospital patients.

The Fourth Assembly Public Accounts Committee undertook an inquiry into this issue. That Committee was pleased to see that improvements have been made since hospital catering was last the subject of a performance audit in 2002. That Committee was disappointed that a wide variation in the costs, planning and delivery of catering services across NHS organisations in Wales persists, especially when the importance of good nutrition in supporting patient’ recovery is well accepted by the Welsh Government and reflected in its policy objectives.