Weekly News

Sugary snacks in hospital vending machines 'send wrong message'

This article puts pressure onto the NHS to provide their workers and patients with healthier food, as the things they're selling in vending machines could be the cause of why someone would be admitted to a hospital in the first place. "In a survey of hospital trusts in England, the Observer found that all of the 76 that responded sold a range of confectionary or salty snacks, yet half failed to offer plain dried or fresh fruit" This suggests that hospitals do not think about what they are selling to people who come there and they're sending out "entirely the wrong message" The article is implying that it's like the NHS want more patients to come in with the problem of diabetes and obesity, which is already very popular in the UK.

The food that hospitals offer is a particular concern for their employees as they often rely on vending machines when they're working late night shifts. I think that hospitals should provide much more healthy food for their employees and patients, as this will result in a healthy work force that can give good care to patients, and patients will be getting better, not worse during their stay at the hospital.

However, the article did include that "Many hospital trusts say their vending machine services are contracted out, and that they are unable to control which products are offered." This means that they have no input into the food and drink that is being sold. Therefore, I think that they should stop having vending machines to ditch all the unhealthy, sugary foods and try to encourage everyone in the building to eat better food.