HC Deb 02 May 1960 vol 622 cc687-8
41. Mr. Hayman

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on his present plans for improving the nutritional value of hospital meals.

38. Mr. Parker

asked the Minister of Health what proposals he has in hand for increasing the nutritive value of meals in hospitals.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I do not consider that any new measures are at present required. Hospital management committees and boards of governors are aware that they may obtain advice from my catering and dietetic advisers.

Mr. Hayman

Is the Minister aware that in the Observer of 24th April there was an article by Dr. Abraham Marcus, the medical correspondent, referring to meals supplied in hospitals in West Cornwall in terms that would be an utter condemnation of the Ministry's arrangements? Will the Minister take account of the fact that I do not accept all that was said, and that it advocated central kitchens in place of individual hospital kitchens, a course which has been condemned and abandoned by the Minister of Education for school meals.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I am afraid that I have not seen the article in the Observer, and I certainly cannot comment on its contents. This inquiry, as the hon. Gentleman may know, was made at the request of the West Cornwall Hospital Management Committee, and it is now considering it. On the wider plane, the Nuffield Provincial Hospital Trust has made a grant for a wider scientific study of the nutritive value of hospital meals, and this should afford valuable results in due course.

Dr. Summerskill

Will the Minister look at the report which in turn was reported in the Observer, because it makes serious statements with regard to the whole system of hospital feeding.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I will certainly have a look at that.