The government’s targets for its £40m (US$57.1m) Better Hospital Food programme have not been reached, according to new research that emerged earlier this week.

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The programme, which received a high profile launch in May 2001 after its menu was devised by top chef Lloyd Grossman, was due to be implemented in 946 hospitals nationwide by NHS trusts by this January.


According to the research, however, only 35% of hospitals are offering their patients the new dishes.


Better Hospital Food also laid out instructions to implement ward kitchens and snack boxes. Only 45% were offering a snack box by December 2001 however.


Almost 70% of the hospitals boasted operational ward kitchens by the deadline, but a memo sent last March to all CEOs of the NHS and Primary Care Trusts revealed that many of those hospitals already offered this service.

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