NEWS
Giving night shift staff healthy food choices is a priority, says NHS chief By Alistair Kleebauer
@alistairbauer
Night shift staff will have access to healthy food options as part of a drive to improve the health of hospital staff in England, NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said as he announced his vision for the health service last week. Three quarters of hospitals fail to make available nutritious food for nurses and other workers on night shifts, according to the NHS Five-Year Forward View. The plan sets out proposals to tackle ill health caused by major health problems such as obesity and predicts an annual £30 billion funding shortfall by 2020. It includes a focus on the health of NHS staff and says while three quarters of trusts say they offer help to staff who want to stop smoking, only a third offer support to staff trying to maintain to a healthy weight.
schemes but said they are not always accessible to shift workers. ‘Healthy eating comes back to safe staffing levels and when staff have their breaks, ensuring they can access healthy eating options,’ she added. Under the plans unveiled by Mr Stevens, NHS Employers will encourage its 1.3 million staff to stay healthy. Access to unhealthy products on NHS premises will be cut and healthy food options for night staff will be introduced, and staff will be expected to act as health ambassadors, he added. ‘We have got to get junk food out of hospital canteens,’ said Mr Stevens.
Last month health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced five new standards for hospital food. From April, all NHS contracts will include the new standards. They include a stipulation that hospitals must have fish on the menu at least twice a week. Some trusts are already offering better food choices to night shift staff. Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides snack boxes for staff containing meals such as chilli con carne and chicken curry, which can be bought and reheated in the microwave.
This year’s Seacole scholars: from left, Joy Shao, Parveen Ali, Selina Jarvis, Angela Ditchfield, Hille Halonen and Pamela Makwehe
A UK-wide survey of almost 3,500 nurses carried out as part of Nursing Standard’s Eat Well, Nurse Well campaign, which calls on employers to improve nurses’ access to healthy eating options, found 74 per cent of staff said vending machine snacks were typically available on night shifts. At a press briefing ahead of the report launch, Mr Stevens repeated his support for the campaign, saying: ‘It is hugely welcome.’ He said NHS staff must set an example by leading healthier lifestyles as part of a drive to improve the health of the nation. He cited discounted Weight Watchers memberships and a ‘walk the stairs’ club at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust as examples of promoting good health. RCN senior employment relations adviser Kim Sunley welcomed such
BARNEY NEWMAN
Unhealthy snacks
SEACOLE AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED Six nurses developing innovative projects to reduce health inequalities among black and minority ethnic (BME) communities received grants at the 2014 Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Awards. Projects to support parent and infant relationships in migrant families and to investigate leadership development of BME staff were among those recognised in a ceremony at the RCN in London last week.
England’s chief nursing officer Jane Cummings presented the awards at the event, which was attended by NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens. Four development grants worth £6,250 each and two leadership awards worth £12,500 each were handed out. Ms Cummings said: ‘Last year’s winners showed the commitment to deliver change and this year’s winners showed amazing innovation around what they will develop.’
NURSING :: vol no 9 ::permission. 2014 9 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 28, 2015. For personal useoctober only. No29 other uses29 without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Giving night shift staff healthy food choices is a priority, says NHS chief By Alistair Kleebauer
@alistairbauer
Night shift staff will have access to healthy food options as part of a drive to improve the health of hospital staff in England, NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said as he announced his vision for the health service last week. Three quarters of hospitals fail to make available nutritious food for nurses and other workers on night shifts, according to the NHS Five-Year Forward View. The plan sets out proposals to tackle ill health caused by major health problems such as obesity and predicts an annual £30 billion funding shortfall by 2020. It includes a focus on the health of NHS staff and says while three quarters of trusts say they offer help to staff who want to stop smoking, only a third offer support to staff trying to maintain to a healthy weight.
schemes but said they are not always accessible to shift workers. ‘Healthy eating comes back to safe staffing levels and when staff have their breaks, ensuring they can access healthy eating options,’ she added. Under the plans unveiled by Mr Stevens, NHS Employers will encourage its 1.3 million staff to stay healthy. Access to unhealthy products on NHS premises will be cut and healthy food options for night staff will be introduced, and staff will be expected to act as health ambassadors, he added. ‘We have got to get junk food out of hospital canteens,’ said Mr Stevens.
Last month health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced five new standards for hospital food. From April, all NHS contracts will include the new standards. They include a stipulation that hospitals must have fish on the menu at least twice a week. Some trusts are already offering better food choices to night shift staff. Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides snack boxes for staff containing meals such as chilli con carne and chicken curry, which can be bought and reheated in the microwave.
This year’s Seacole scholars: from left, Joy Shao, Parveen Ali, Selina Jarvis, Angela Ditchfield, Hille Halonen and Pamela Makwehe
A UK-wide survey of almost 3,500 nurses carried out as part of Nursing Standard’s Eat Well, Nurse Well campaign, which calls on employers to improve nurses’ access to healthy eating options, found 74 per cent of staff said vending machine snacks were typically available on night shifts. At a press briefing ahead of the report launch, Mr Stevens repeated his support for the campaign, saying: ‘It is hugely welcome.’ He said NHS staff must set an example by leading healthier lifestyles as part of a drive to improve the health of the nation. He cited discounted Weight Watchers memberships and a ‘walk the stairs’ club at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust as examples of promoting good health. RCN senior employment relations adviser Kim Sunley welcomed such
BARNEY NEWMAN
Unhealthy snacks
SEACOLE AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED Six nurses developing innovative projects to reduce health inequalities among black and minority ethnic (BME) communities received grants at the 2014 Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Awards. Projects to support parent and infant relationships in migrant families and to investigate leadership development of BME staff were among those recognised in a ceremony at the RCN in London last week.
England’s chief nursing officer Jane Cummings presented the awards at the event, which was attended by NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens. Four development grants worth £6,250 each and two leadership awards worth £12,500 each were handed out. Ms Cummings said: ‘Last year’s winners showed the commitment to deliver change and this year’s winners showed amazing innovation around what they will develop.’
NURSING :: vol no 9 ::permission. 2014 9 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 28, 2015. For personal useoctober only. No29 other uses29 without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
