The Nutrition Standards help local health districts, specialty health networks, healthcare facilities, clinicians and the people responsible for food services, to create menus for patients in NSW Health facilities.
The Standards are part of a framework of nutrition and food policies.
Menus that align with the Nutrition Standards will:
- meet the majority of patients' nutrient, psychosocial and clinical needs
- allow patients to choose tasty, nutritious and appealing foods that help them to heal and recover while they're in the hospital.
The Nutrition Standards contain several elements to be included in menus and the way food is delivered. These elements include:
- guiding principles
- nutrient goals
- minimum numbers of patient choices
- how the menu should be developed and designed.
The Nutrition Standards also use ideas like standard serve sizes and nutrient information for mixed dishes (known as banding) to communicate the requirements of the NSW Health system to the broader food industry.
Audience
The Nutrition Standards are used by:
- NSW Health staff involved in food service and nutritional care in NSW Health facilities
- food companies (manufacturers and suppliers) making products that meet the needs of NSW Health facilities.
This includes:
- staff involved in food service delivery model design, menu planning, food production and procurement, and the delivery of food and fluids to the patient
- staff involved in the nutritional care of patients.
Interaction between key policies
Australian Charter of Health Care Rights
- Patients have a right to have their culture, beliefs and choices recognised and respected.
National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards
Actions 5.27 and 5.28 outline that:
- Health facilities must put in place processes for addressing patients’ nutrition and hydration needs.
- The workforce ensures that the nutrition and hydration needs of patients are met.
Nutrition Care Policy Directive (PD2017_041)
- NSW Health and public health organisations have a responsibility to provide nutrition care for all their admitted patients including weight and height/length assessment from admission to transfer of care.
Nutrition Standards
- Set baseline requirements to design menus that are appetising, safe, appropriate, meet nutrition requirements and enhances patient experience in our facilities.
- Set minimum nutrient and choice requirements.
- Translate medical nutrition therapy into practical diet specifications that use existing food service systems.
- Published online for statewide implementation.
- New diet specifications added as needed.
Applying the Nutrition Standards
Nutrition Standards are used as the basis of menu design in NSW Health facilities where patients stay for one night or more.
They also apply to the following, when the menu items and food are selected and supplied by the facility food service provider:
- special occasions such as barbeques
- rehabilitation cooking programs
- food prepared in activity of daily living kitchens
- lunch packs for those on day leave
- independent living situations.
Out of scope
The following are out of scope of the Nutrition Standards.
- Food sourced by patients from outside of the patient food service system, e.g. food from home, purchased outside of the facility.
- Food provided in outpatient and community-based settings. Food provided in these settings should comply with the recommendations outlined in the Healthy Food and Drink in NSW Health Facilities for Staff and Visitors Framework.
- Menu design for admitted day stay patients, e.g. renal dialysis and chemotherapy, and day surgery patients. These patients will be offered suitable choices as per local facility procedures.
- Food for staff, visitors or non-admitted patients.
Exclusions
The following are excluded from the Nutrition Standards:
Operationalisation of the Nutrition Standards by food service delivery partners, including but not limited to:
- staffing requirements, skills or duties
- food production and operations
- recipe development
- food product range and specific choices available at facilities
- recommendations or commentary regarding food service delivery models.
Clinical care and diet management including:
- Foods and menu items selected and prepared by the patient and funded by the facility or unit, e.g. for the purpose of patient skills training. Facilities and units should follow the Healthy Food and Drink in NSW Health Facilities for Staff and Visitors Framework.
- Therapeutic diets required for patients with special nutritional needs which are used as part of medical therapy.
- Nutrition risk screening; nutrition assessment; nutritional care planning; planning and delivery of foods and drinks; the mealtime environment; assistance to eat and drink; staff training and education; and patient monitoring. These aspects of clinical care are governed by the Nutrition Care Policy Directive (PD2017_041).
Sustainability
- Addressing sustainability in food production, processing and packaging are primarily managed via procurement and food service delivery models and therefore outside of scope for the Nutrition Standards.
Expected outcomes
NSW Health facilities that are compliant with these standards will have a menu that:
- has been developed with consumers and reflects the food preferences of their population
- will meet the nutritional needs of most patients
- provides patients with a variety of tasty and nutritious foods.
These factors will enhance patients’ food and nutrition experience in our system, contribute to a reduction in the incidence of healthcare-associated complications and reduce the length of stay for patients.