In response to the NHS's Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service report, which highlighted food services as a significant contributor to NHS greenhouse gas emissions, our dietetics and catering teams have embraced a low-carbon approach to patient meals.
Led by our specialist dietitian, Kattya Mayre-Chilton, our dietetics and catering teams, in collaboration with the NHS and dietetics students on placement at Mildmay, have developed a menu based on low-carbon recipes from the NHS England recipe and menu bank.
Designed specifically for our vulnerable patients, the new menu meets the nutritional needs of individuals living with HIV, those experiencing homelessness, and others in post-detoxification recovery. After three rounds of development, and gathering feedback from both patients and staff, the final winter menu was launched.
The initiative has been successful, achieving an 18 per cent reduction in the carbon footprint of meals and reducing food waste to just 10 per cent of portions served. Patient feedback has also led to further menu improvements, including more diverse recipes and the introduction of a weekly cooked breakfast option for the summer menu.
In addition, we are preparing to release a patient-centred food and drinks booklet to educate individuals on their meal choices upon admission.
This project illustrates that a low-carbon menu can significantly reduce environmental impact while enhancing patient satisfaction. Mildmay Hospital is proud to be a leader in sustainable healthcare practices, integrating environmental responsibility with high-quality, compassionate care.
Mildmay Hospital is committed to delivering innovative patient care that also considers our environmental impact.
This project was written up in a paper published in Complete Nutrition (CN), the UK’s No.1 clinical, medical & health nutrition publication: Turner Murphy, et al. (2024). Implementing Sustainable Dietetic Menus in Practice: The Mildmay Hospital experience. CN; 24(6): 28-29
With thanks to Complete Nutrition for the use of the above images
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