A chat with Phil Shelley, Chair of the Hospital Food Review and advisor to the new Love British Food Hospitals Working Group
Alexia Robinson • February 2, 2022
Love British Food has set up a new working group to inspire, encourage and enable hospital caterers to source more British food. Phil Shelley talks about what he hopes the group will achieve. The group is co-chaired by Alexia Robinson, Love British Food, and Tim Radcliffe, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Why are you so enthusiastic about the new Love British Food Hospitals Working Group?
We want to encourage the use of high-quality, local British food on our menus. That has been a passion and ambition for myself and others for a long time. The Love British Food Hospitals Working Group puts the NHS at the forefront of a public sector that is keen to embrace British food.
Why are you keen that Love British Food leads this?
Love British Food does really important work to promote British food. People understand what Love British Food is about and they see NHS Trusts taking part in British Food Fortnight each year.
Why now?
The Hospital Food Review encourages local engagement. Taking part in British Food Fortnight is a great way to encourage Trusts to speak to their local producers, but hospitals should be looking at purchasing British food all year round, where possible, to support local suppliers and to reduce the carbon footprint of their purchases. I hope that this working group will help trusts to achieve that.
What do you hope the new Love British Food Hospitals Working Group will achieve?
The main aim is to inspire more trusts to source their food locally and equip them with the knowledge and support to do so. I would like to see every NHS Trust have a relationship with at least 3 or 4 local suppliers.
People are looking for support, and I see the group as a conduit for knowledge transfer. Having set up the Hospital Food Review sub-groups, I have discovered we have some amazing people out there. Ten of the most inspiring NHS Chefs have signed up to sit on the group, which is a great opportunity for them to talk about the wonderful hospital food that they serve, how they source their ingredients, what lessons they can share with colleagues. I also want to hear from suppliers - farmers, producers, butchers, greengrocers - so we can inspire others to think about supplying us too.
How do you recommend a Trust gets involved?
The working group will set the direction, linking with our exemplar trusts to showcase opportunities. It is important to be brave, stepping outside of the comfort zone of continuous menu planning which can often provide menu fatigue.
I think a good way of introducing yourself to Love British Food is to pick a supplier you can work closely with and introduce them to your menus. Start with one and build from there. I would like to see every NHS Trust have a relationship with at least 3 or 4 local suppliers.
What are the main challenges?
Each Trust requires appropriate leadership on sourcing, whether that is the catering manager, the budget holder or the contractor. They need courage to take the lead – it will be a big change for some trusts - and I see this working group supporting them in doing so. It’s important that there is a whole hospital approach, so involving, educating and inspiring trust CEOs and finance teams is an essential part of the process.
What would you say to suppliers, producers and farmers wanting to supply the NHS?
We need to show them there is a way in to supply the public sector. There needs to be an ambition from potential suppliers to engage and we need to make sure they are supported and listened to. It is a two-way relationship.
Tim Radcliffe is Co-chairing the Love British Food Working Group (with Alexia Robinson). Why do you believe Tim is the man to lead from the front?
What Tim has done in East Lancashire is tremendous. He believes in what he is doing and wants the NHS in East Lancashire to be recognised for the quality of food it is producing, in the same way that a restaurant receives accolades. He will not dilute that ambition, and he wants passionately to take people with him.
A final word…what advice do you have for the new group to make this work?
Have patience, while at the same time be ambitious.
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