I know that some constituents may be concerned about the recent cases of listeria in some hospitals across England. Fortunately, our own James Paget Hospital is unaffected by this outbreak, linked to pre-packed sandwiches and salads eaten by patients. All products produced by the supplier were quickly withdrawn and their production halted.
Of course, a serious risk to public health, particularly when it affects those who are already ill should see swift action from the Government. My colleague, Matt Hancock, who is responsible for the National Health Service has ordered a “root-and-branch” review of all hospital food. Answering a question in the House of Commons he indicated that he is interested in those hospital trusts that have bought their catering in-house in recent years, that has resulted in better quality food, more likely to be locally produced and providing better value for money.
You can see the full government response to this public health issue here.