STEPS are being taken at Airedale Hospital to help staff, patients and visitors have a healthy diet.

A food and drink strategy has been drawn for Airedale NHS Foundation Trust to promote good nutrition and high-quality food and catering services.

The strategy, to be implemented within hospital cafes, shops and vending machines, also aims to reduce waste and cut the trust’s carbon footprint.

The measures include:

* stopping selling high-sugar drinks and replacing them with water, diet drinks or small bottles of fruit juice

* promoting fruit and low-sugar snacks as alternatives

* selling lower-fat baked crisps and popcorn and reducing the size of chocolate bars

* moving chocolate, crisps and other confectionery away from the tills

* introducing a traffic light system for food in the restaurant to highlight healthy options and calorie content; and

* giving greater choice on the salad bar.

The strategy was drawn up by a working group after considering public health recommendations and evidence, as well as the Government’s buying standards.

The strategy includes a commitment to ensuring food and drink meets the cultural and religious needs of the trust’s local population.

The trust will promote the ‘Eat Well, Think Well, Exercise Well’ programme to staff, including on-site pilates and zumba classes, free health checks, lifestyle action planning and workshops.

The trust will provide all patients with a nutritional care plan, describing their needs and how they are to be met.

It will also involve patients in the planning and monitoring arrangements for the food and drink service.

Nick Bergin, dietitian team leader at Airedale NHS FoundationTrust, said in some cases patients were undernourished and so plenty of protein and carbohydrates were the best option.

But he said obesity is now a national problem, and malnourished patients stayed in hospital longer and were more likely to develop complications or infections.

Mr Bergin added: “We are making these changes in the best interests of our staff and patients.

“We are not banning chocolate and crisps, as they are fine for an occasional treat; we are helping people to make healthy choices by making sure the healthier options are readily available.

“Good nutrition is so important to looking after your health.

“As a hospital, we don’t promote other risky behaviour that has a detrimental impact on your health, such as smoking and exceeding alcohol limits, so we felt we had a duty to tackle unhealthy eating.”

The trust’s director of nursing, Rob Dearden, said the hospital’s commitment to providing the highest level of patient care included ensuring the quality and nutritional value of food served to them.

He added: “We have a responsibility to our patients, staff and visitors to provide wholesome, healthy and nutritious food.

“There are strong links between patient outcomes and staff experience, so investing in having a healthy workforce will ultimately benefit our patients.”