16 October 2017

The Trust which runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals is ahead of the game when it comes to promoting healthy eating.

Simon Stevens, the Chief Executive of NHS, has said sweets and chocolate sold in hospitals should be 250 calories or under.

The proposals would also see 75% of pre-packed sandwiches coming in at under 400 calories.

Pre-packed savoury meals and sandwiches must also contain no more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g.

And 80% of the drinks stocked must have less than 5g of added sugar per 100ml.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), has already taken positive steps to reduce the availability of sweets and sugared drinks.

Last year the Trust ended the sale of sugared drinks and confectionery aimed explicitly at children at its outlets and vending machines at the Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre at PRH.

It follows a move a year earlier which saw SaTH increase the cost of sugared drink by 10p, with the additional money raised being used to fund material to raise awareness of the risks of sugar in food and drink.

Further measures have also been undertaken, including:

  • Branded drinks vending machines being changed to unbranded machines, with no added-sugar drinks available.
  • Trust commercial outlets significantly reducing the availability of sugared drinks, with only one choice available.
  • Removing sugared items from promotions and meal deals.
  • The introduction of sugar-free syrups and real fruit smoothies at Caffe Bistro – the Trust’s outlet at the Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre.
  • Added-sugar items being removed from next to the tills and replaced with healthier items.

Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Governance at SaTH, said: “As a hospital trust, we believe we should be leading the way when it comes to sugared drinks and snacks and helping to reduce obesity and related problems, which cost the NHS millions of pounds a year.

“We want to ensure that our restaurants, cafes and vending machines offer the healthiest options possible for our patients, visitors and staff.

“This is not about dictating what people eat and drink, but as a hospital we believe we have an obligation to do our best to improve the public’s health and wellbeing, and with such a national problem we need to take decisive action.

“Many foods and drinks that contain added sugars can be high in energy but often have few other nutrients. Eating these foods too often can mean you eat more calories than you need, which can lead to weight gain and obesity. In particular, drinking lots of sugary drinks has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

“Sugary foods and drinks can also cause tooth decay, especially if you eat them between meals. The longer the sugary food is in contact with teeth, the more damage it can cause.

“There are plenty of sugar-free alternatives available and, in most cases, it is very difficult to taste the difference between them and the sugared variety.”

Julia added: “We will be looking into the detail of Mr Stevens’ announcement to see what further steps we can take.”