Hospital food in Nottingham reaches gold standard

Nottingham University's NHS Trust has become the first NHS Trust to be awarded the Soil Association's Gold Food for Life Catering Mark.

It's been given for it's commitment to serving healthy meals made with local, seasonal and organic ingredients.

More than three-quarters of ingredients, served on the menus at the Queens Medical Centre and City Hospital comes from Nottinghamshire and the surrounding counties.

Chris Neale, who manages the trust's catering operation, believes quality food is an important part of the recovery process.

The central production unit at City Hospital, is where all of the food production takes place.

It caters for both of the Nottingham hospitals.

The chefs turn out 7,000 to 8,000 meals a day, which are eaten not only by patients but also by staff and visitors.

Staff nurse, Delia Mooney said patients seem to enjoy what's on offer.

The cost of feeding a patient works out at £4.53 per day, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus seven drinks.

It's under the NHS average.