After the pressure of the last two-years, the least our NHS staff deserve is a hot meal while on shift. But this is not the reality for all. A new campaign launched by Neely Mozawala, a community specialist diabetes podiatrist based in Somerset, is highlighting this crisis.
#NoHungryNHSStaff seeks to address the fact that, in the main, hospital catering is based around regular office hours, with canteens serving breakfast and lunch. For those working weekends, night shifts and on public holidays, access to a hot, healthy meal is limited to only a minority of hospitals in the UK.
In a report by the Institute of Health & Social Care Management (IHSCM), carried out in collaboration with No Hungry NHS Staff, only 28% of organisations were found to provide hot food of any description – including what was available in vending machines.
A recent article by i, shared comments from Dr Saliha Mahmood Ahmed, who has worked alongside Neely on the No Hungry NHS Staff campaign, saying: “A ready meal and microwave is the best I’ve found and in some hospitals all there is are chocolates and crisps from a vending machine.”
Thankfully, Neely’s campaign is already gaining traction. According to a report in the BMJ, pilot schemes have launched in several hospitals and John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, has called for funding to provide 24-hour hot food canteen services.
But where this isn’t possible to implement, is the solution utilising external catering services? The IHSCM report suggested that staff sending out for food to be delivered into hospitals was having a negative impact on security, as they were having to act as concierge for delivery drivers.
This issue is one we’ve encountered directly with our clients, and it’s something we’re working towards changing.
With Pre Order Pods, freshly prepared food from the hospital canteen is kept in a locker at exactly the right temperature – hot, cold or ambient – ready to be ordered, quickly and simply, via a smartphone app or website. Staff then simply use a code/QR to open their allocated pod and access a nutritious meal inside.
With our solution, there is no middleman, no time wasted and, most importantly, no worry for staff as to where their next meal will come from.
We’re extremely passionate about supporting the people that support us when we need them the most. It’s one of the reasons we started our business in the first place.
A hot meal is the very least our NHS and healthcare staff deserve, so let’s make it our top priority.
