0:00:02 > 0:00:05Over the last decade £50 million has been spent trying
0:00:05 > 0:00:08to improve the quality of our hospital food.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12What is that? You don't know.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15So far, though, there's been little sign that change
0:00:15 > 0:00:16on a national level has been achieved.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22That's the reality of the food that's served in the NHS.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27In fact, a recent study revealed that over a third of hospital food
0:00:27 > 0:00:30is still considered unacceptable by patients.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Just horrible.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35It's not appetising.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38It was inedible, cold. It was vile.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42That's why for the last four years I've been working with NHS kitchens
0:00:42 > 0:00:46to prove that serving good food IS possible.
0:00:47 > 0:00:4930 seconds. Come on, come on, come on!
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- You guys have made it. - Thank you!- Phew!
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Together, we've demonstrated patients CAN have tasty,
0:00:55 > 0:00:59nutritious food, without it costing any more money.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04What motivates me more now is the public's perception of the good that we've done.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06That means a lot.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09But it won't be feasible to bring about real change by tackling
0:01:09 > 0:01:12just one hospital at a time.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15People deserve decent food in the NHS. It's not a big ask.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20So, now my aim is to introduce a lasting improvement
0:01:20 > 0:01:25to hospital food for every patient throughout the UK.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Mmm! Yummy!
0:01:27 > 0:01:28Yeah. It's lovely!
0:01:28 > 0:01:32I'm massively passionate about food in hospitals.
0:01:32 > 0:01:33Change can be achieved.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Since 2011 I've made it my personal mission to improve the food
0:01:43 > 0:01:45served to NHS patients.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48- The food's awful. - Bland.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50- Tasteless.- Atrocious.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53It all began at Scarborough General in Yorkshire
0:01:53 > 0:01:57where we transformed the menu, delivering meals to the wards
0:01:57 > 0:01:59that were both great tasting and healthy,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01whilst staying within tight budgets.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07We're getting the price what we want it to be, and it's under £3.49.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09HE MOUTHS
0:02:09 > 0:02:13The results were hard won, but we highlighted that change really is possible.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18- I think the food's excellent. - The soups now are brilliant.
0:02:18 > 0:02:19It's such great food.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Next on my campaign trail was Birmingham Royal Orthopaedic.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26The biggest problem there was wastage,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29with over £20,000 worth of food being binned.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33365 days a year, this is waste.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37There was more than this. This was going to go in the swill.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38Wow!
0:02:38 > 0:02:42I also found a demoralised team, resistant to change.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Do you have a recipe for ten litres of custard?
0:02:45 > 0:02:46No.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51But with hard graft and perseverance,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53we saved the kitchen staff's jobs
0:02:53 > 0:02:57and gave patients food to get excited about.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59- We got exactly what I wanted. I have enjoyed it.- Good.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03- Absolutely delicious. - It was gorgeous.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06In order to roll out my changes, I roped in a group of chef mates
0:03:06 > 0:03:10to take on hospitals in their own areas.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13- I need you guys! - HE LAUGHS
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Cos I can't do it on my own.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19I don't know whether they realise what they've let themselves in for.
0:03:19 > 0:03:25What we managed to achieve in Cornwall, Norfolk and London was fantastic.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30And one year on in Birmingham, the kitchen continues to thrive.
0:03:30 > 0:03:31I was hoping for seconds.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34I'd stop in a bit longer if they'd let me.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37After decades of failed initiatives,
0:03:37 > 0:03:42I've proved that we can really improve the quality of hospital food,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45and at no extra cost. But to make a real difference,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49my strategy needs to be rolled out on a much larger scale.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53What I'm hoping to achieve this time is a bigger voice.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57For me, this project has never been about a TV programme.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01It's been about trying to make a difference.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03I'm hoping to progress this forward.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Standards of hospital catering continue to make the news.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Since the last series it's been revealed that
0:04:11 > 0:04:14until recently hospitals were responsible for rating
0:04:14 > 0:04:16the quality of their own food.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21It's a business where the customers - the patients -
0:04:21 > 0:04:23have had little or no voice.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28So this time round I want to put that right
0:04:28 > 0:04:32and give patients the chance to say what they really make of
0:04:32 > 0:04:34what's being dished up to them on the wards.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37I think with the invention of social media, internet,
0:04:37 > 0:04:44there's got to be something that can be accessible for patients to get involved in.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48I'm hoping that bringing together the power of many voices,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and not just mine, will be the first step in finding a way
0:04:51 > 0:04:55to bring about lasting change throughout the NHS,
0:04:55 > 0:05:00and massively improve the food served to people when they're at their lowest ebb.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07For my plan to work, I need my battle to go nationwide.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11So I've arranged some big interviews that should spread the word.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13I'm quite confident we can do good things out of this,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and I'm confident that if we give the patients the opportunity
0:05:16 > 0:05:20to have a voice, then we can really see what the food's like.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23We can start to build up a great picture of the food that's
0:05:23 > 0:05:25served in the NHS in the UK.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27And then do something about it.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29James, we can bring you in now.
0:05:33 > 0:05:38- We're doing a call-out, so that's why I've come on, as well. - The call-out being what?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41The call-out being that every hospital thinks the food's great.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43I don't believe it, and certainly from the experience
0:05:43 > 0:05:45over the past four years, I don't believe it is.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49I think good food is quite sporadic in terms of some hospitals.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53So, the idea is to give patients a voice and people can e-mail
0:05:53 > 0:05:55their experiences, but also pictures,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58because if we can get a food map of Britain we can actually understand
0:05:58 > 0:06:02and try and change things and make hospitals accountable for it.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04- Pictures of hospital food.- Exactly.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06- Nice to see you here. - Thank you very much.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08That's it, people are now aware of what we're up to.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Fingers crossed it'll be a success and we'll get a response from it.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17There's more to do as well, cos right now I'm off to my mate Chris Evans for his radio show.
0:06:17 > 0:06:24JINGLE: # The Chris Evans Breakfast Show Good morning! #
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- CHRIS EVANS:- 22 minutes to nine o'clock, BBC Radio 2, here.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29James Martin is live from Manchester.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33He couldn't be with us this morning. Why are you on this programme this morning?
0:06:33 > 0:06:36I need the help of the public, really.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39What I'm asking people to do is either e-mail or send
0:06:39 > 0:06:42via my Twitter a selection of photographs and information on
0:06:42 > 0:06:45the meals you're currently having in hospitals at the moment,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47and over the next four to five months
0:06:47 > 0:06:50I'm going to try and change the food in hospitals.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52We can then hopefully try and make a difference.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55All right, we'll tweet those addresses and we'll put them on our Facebook as well,
0:06:55 > 0:07:00- and we'll put a link on our website. So no problems.- Thank you, buddy. Cheers. Bye.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Well, that went really well, it's great to pull in favours
0:07:03 > 0:07:06from a guy that's got one of the biggest radio stations and radio
0:07:06 > 0:07:10programmes in the UK, and already literally after about three or four minutes,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12I'm already starting to get tweets coming in,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15so I'm looking forward to seeing the e-mails, so fingers crossed.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21While I'm waiting to see what response I get from the public,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25I'm off to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29I've heard the food there is decent,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33but they're currently busting their very small budget.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37The kitchen is a traditional on-site catering operation
0:07:37 > 0:07:39cooking over 6,000 meals a week.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42But like many other hospitals,
0:07:42 > 0:07:46it faces the threat of transferring to a system called cook chill.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50That means the hospital buys in meals from an external supplier
0:07:50 > 0:07:53then heats them up before serving.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57If that's introduced here, the majority of the staff face losing their jobs.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02So I'm here to meet Senior Catering Manager Andy,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06and second-in-command Jonathan, to hear what issues they're facing.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09- How we doing, Jonathan?- James. - Good to see you, Andy.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12- Snazzy kitchen. - This is our main kitchen.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17- How old is this, then?- The hospital was built in 1967, I think it was.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21So, how long have you been here as catering manager?
0:08:21 > 0:08:25- Well, I came over here in '87. - And you're about to retire, is that right?
0:08:25 > 0:08:28I retire next year. I've actually worked in the NHS
0:08:28 > 0:08:31since I actually was 20.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- So, are you taking over, Jonathan? - I'm taking over.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36As someone who's worked in the NHS that long,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38what's changed over the years?
0:08:38 > 0:08:43- It's been a continuous driving costs down, unfortunately.- Yeah.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46We're working off £2.72 a day,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50to provide a patient with everything they eat and drink in that day.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53To keep it within budget is extremely difficult.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58The fact that Andy has just £2.72 per day to spend on food
0:08:58 > 0:09:01for each patient is a real shock.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05This is the smallest budget of any hospital I've come across.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Cost-wise for this, are we on budget in this department?
0:09:09 > 0:09:15Well, we get about £330,000 a year food budget...
0:09:15 > 0:09:21- Yep.- And you will be doing in excess of 150,000 patients through a year.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26- Yeah.- So, it's very tight, and at the moment I'm slightly overspending.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28By a lot?
0:09:28 > 0:09:32At the moment I'm about £7,000 overspent on my budget,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34which is, what, six months of the year gone?
0:09:34 > 0:09:39So, realistically, difficult to pull that back, to some extent.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42£2.72 is not a lot of money! THEY LAUGH
0:09:42 > 0:09:46The Trust is under huge pressure to reduce costs in the hospital
0:09:46 > 0:09:51and they think ready-made meals may help them save money.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54But in my experience, using a cook chill system not only leads to
0:09:54 > 0:09:58poorer food for patients, it can also mean job losses -
0:09:58 > 0:10:03so that could spell disaster for Andy and his kitchen staff.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06The common theme I've learnt from the last four years doing this is
0:10:06 > 0:10:10once you go down the route of cook chill, there's no going back.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15You get rid of your brigade and a lot of the kitchen is mothballed or used for other things,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18so, consequently, it's not easy to put that back in.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20How do you feel about that as a legacy for you?
0:10:20 > 0:10:24While you're wondering round the golf course, what will you be thinking?
0:10:24 > 0:10:27All I want to really walk out of here with is
0:10:27 > 0:10:29at least I've left it in a good state.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33We're still giving a very good quality of food to the patients,
0:10:33 > 0:10:38which is important to me, but what comes in the future, I don't know.
0:10:39 > 0:10:44Andy wants his final few months at the helm of his kitchen to make a difference.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47He wants help to reverse the overspend and potentially
0:10:47 > 0:10:49lift the threat of job losses to his staff.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55He has the backing of his head chef John and chefs Neil and Yvonne
0:10:55 > 0:10:59who believe in the patients' right to good, nutritious meals.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01It's very rewarding, isn't it, doing this job?
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Yeah, it is. I'm totally dedicated to the NHS.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08It really is something I'm passionate about as an organisation.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10So, you get a bit of something more
0:11:10 > 0:11:13cos you're doing something for patients.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16What about the team here? Cos I think you've got a fantastic team.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20They're a very good team. Very good team. I think we're pretty well organised.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Everyone knows what they're doing.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25You're looking after ill people, and you've got to get it right.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27You've got to get that food right for the wards.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31If the food's not right for the wards, phone doesn't stop ringing.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Speaking to the kitchen staff and watching them cook,
0:11:34 > 0:11:36I can see they're a really well-organised bunch
0:11:36 > 0:11:38who, on the whole, know what they're doing -
0:11:38 > 0:11:43something I've not always found in the other hospitals I've visited.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46What's also impressed me is that they've already got some
0:11:46 > 0:11:50vital procedures in place that I've had to introduce elsewhere.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53These are all the lists of everything people want on each
0:11:53 > 0:11:56individual ward, basically like an order, really.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00This little piece of paper reduces the waste down by so much.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04Without this, or if this turns up late, the chefs are really making it up,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06and I've found in hospitals where I've been working so far -
0:12:06 > 0:12:11not this one, I might add - that they've been literally wasting
0:12:11 > 0:12:14upwards of 50% of all the food that comes out of this trolley.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16And I reckon doing it this way,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19I reckon you're probably going to see between 8% and 10% waste
0:12:19 > 0:12:21which is not very much at all.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27I'm impressed by the professionalism of the kitchen staff,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31but it's some of the near 500 patients in the hospital that I'm keen to hear from.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35- Ah, Peter. Good to see you.- Hello. - Good to see you. How are you?
0:12:35 > 0:12:37- Good afternoon.- So what are you in for?
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Spinal decompression and spinal fusion.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44That sounds a little more complicated than just an in-and-out thing.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47You haven't been suffering with the food, have you?
0:12:47 > 0:12:53Food is OK. If you're here for a couple of days after you come in,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- you've got a choice. - And what about at home?
0:12:56 > 0:12:59What do you look forward to when you get back out of here?
0:12:59 > 0:13:03- Me? Curry!- Curry, is it? - Yeah, I'm a curry freak.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Anyway, we'll leave you in peace.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09- And I'll see you at a local curry house shortly.- Yeah.- All right? Take care.- Thank you.
0:13:09 > 0:13:15So, Joyce, looking at this paper, I take it you're in for a new bionic knee to help you.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Absolutely. THEY LAUGH
0:13:17 > 0:13:20How's the food? Cos you've been in here for quite a while.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Yes, and it's excellent. I like plenty of vegetables and fruit,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27and I find plenty of that to choose from.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I don't know if your fruit bowl is going to catch on, Joyce.
0:13:30 > 0:13:37- And why not?- I don't know. Is that, like, a sick bowl? - LAUGHTER
0:13:37 > 0:13:38So Janice, how are you?
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- Yes, fine. Doing quite well. - Doing quite well? On the mend?
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Yes, just about. I mean, I've been in many times
0:13:45 > 0:13:47and I've never complained about the food.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52I had a sandwich today, a tuna sandwich, which was excellent.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55The key problem in this hospital appears to be providing a menu
0:13:55 > 0:13:58that fits within the tiny budget.
0:13:58 > 0:14:04They've got a lot of basics right, but I'd like to replace the packet made soup with fresh alternatives.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06What if somebody put a fresh soup on the menu for you?
0:14:06 > 0:14:11That would be lovely. I make my own soup at home, you see.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- What's your favourite soup, then? - I do a cauliflower soup.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19- Really good with a little bit of curry powder and apple in it. - No, I don't do that.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23- I nicked that one off Jamie Oliver. - Oh! - HE LAUGHS
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- I'm only joking. Good to see you. - Thank you.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34This great patient feedback and the sound organisation I've seen
0:14:34 > 0:14:38in the kitchen is a credit to the main man here -
0:14:38 > 0:14:40who I think will be a hard act to follow
0:14:40 > 0:14:43once he's hung up his chef whites.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45So, what are you going to do when you retire?
0:14:45 > 0:14:47I shall probably take the phone off the hook for a start
0:14:47 > 0:14:50so I don't get too many phone calls.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53It's an amazing job that you're doing.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56Amazing. Amazing. You should be very proud.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- It's the team, it's not me. - Yeah, but you lead from the front.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03You're only as good as your team, but you lead from the front.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06That's because basically I'm a chef at heart,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08and that's what I get a buzz out of.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09Yeah. You're not going to let this go, are you?
0:15:09 > 0:15:12I've told them I don't want anything big.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15We'll go out for a curry when I go. That's basically it.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20- But no, it's... It's good.- It is. - And I have to say,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22I've enjoyed every year I've actually spent here.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27- There's a little tear in your eye. - Yeah.- Anyway, carry on with lunch.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29For me, seeing a good kitchen like this
0:15:29 > 0:15:33facing the threat of closure is heartbreaking.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36But "well run" means not only good food, but also staying on budget.
0:15:38 > 0:15:44However tight money is, there's no escaping the fact that Andy is still spending too much.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49If that's allowed to continue, then the threat of job losses will remain.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54I think the key to balancing the books might lie
0:15:54 > 0:15:58in the hospital restaurant that Andy is also responsible for.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01A common problem I've come across in other hospitals
0:16:01 > 0:16:07is that their restaurants can be short of customers, but that's definitely not an issue here.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09This place is actually pretty busy,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12and looking at the figures that they've got here,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14this is a pretty busy restaurant.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Just picking a random day, 24th of this month,
0:16:17 > 0:16:23you had 1,177 customers come through these doors.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28With numbers like that, this place should be making a healthy profit.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31But at the moment it's actually losing money.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35It's already £7,000 in debt for this year so far.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39That's on top of the overspend that already exists on patient food.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Speaking to the staff who use the restaurant, it looks to me
0:16:42 > 0:16:45like Andy and his team are really missing a trick
0:16:45 > 0:16:50when it comes to understanding what his customers actually want to buy.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Being a doctor, sometimes I will have five minutes, if that, for a lunch break,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58so coming down to the canteen, queuing and then worrying about
0:16:58 > 0:17:00what kind of quality the food is,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02sometimes I'd rather just bring in my own lunch.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05There's a short time for physicians, for doctors.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07You are very in a hurry, and you need to
0:17:07 > 0:17:10pick up something that is not junk food.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14What I'm thinking of doing is grab-and-go.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17We'll portion it up and you grab it and go.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22- Absolutely.- It's quicker for you. - Absolutely, yes.- Quick and easy. - Quick and easy. Bang. Yeah.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26The hospital staff's demand for fast and healthy food
0:17:26 > 0:17:29is also backed up by the restaurant's own figures.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Out of nearly 1,200 people coming through the doors,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36only just over 10% of them had hot meals.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38They've got far more cold sales than hot,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41which means they're much more grab-and-go, that sort of stuff.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44People who work in the NHS, particularly on these wards,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47want to be able to come down and grab something quite quickly
0:17:47 > 0:17:48and then disappear.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52At the moment, these take-out customers are catered for
0:17:52 > 0:17:55in the restaurant with a huge range of bought-in sandwiches
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Four...eight...
0:17:58 > 0:18:00And when I say it's a huge range...
0:18:00 > 0:18:0231, 32...
0:18:02 > 0:18:04..I really mean it.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10There's about 60 different types of sandwiches there.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14I think I've found one reason the restaurant is losing money here.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Buying in so many different types of sandwiches
0:18:17 > 0:18:22really eats into the profit margin. The answer is simple.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Andy and Jonathan should be making their own.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29- You've got a lot of different choices here.- Yeah.- It's like a supermarket shelf here.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31- Right.- If we took this choice down a little bit,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33and started to make some our own baguettes...
0:18:33 > 0:18:36We have actually made our own baguettes in the past and they do go very well.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40If we make sandwiches ourselves, we haven't got enough staff to make that selection.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44- I reckon we can reduce... Whatever's the least selling one... - Reduce those.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Get rid of it, make 30 baguettes up, and I reckon you sell them for £2.70.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- Oh, we would sell them, I know. - There you go.- We have done them in the past.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54What keeps us back is the shortage of staff.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57It takes ten minutes to make 30 baguettes.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Replacing costly bought-in sandwiches with more
0:19:03 > 0:19:05made by themselves in the kitchen,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09is one way the team can push up their profit margins.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13But there are other ways for Andy and the team to maximise takings.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17The key to this is turn this into a salad bar,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21and then right next to your salad bar, impulse buy fruit.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24I think you could make a lot of money out of this bit.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Hopefully if the restaurant can start to turn a profit,
0:19:27 > 0:19:29the money generated will go far enough to balance the books
0:19:29 > 0:19:32across Andy's whole catering operation,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36including wiping out the overspend on patient food.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40I think the key to this really is streamlining everything.
0:19:40 > 0:19:46I think if we can put it back into profit then the Trust, they've got difficult questions to confront.
0:19:46 > 0:19:47You know - why would you get rid of something
0:19:47 > 0:19:50when it's making money in a hospital?
0:19:50 > 0:19:54If we can get the Princess Alexandra catering department making money,
0:19:54 > 0:19:59it could potentially stave off a switch to the cook chill system here at Harlow.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04But if not, and the hospital decides to make that switch,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06it would change everything for the team.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Rather than prepare the patients' meals here in the kitchen,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13food would instead arrive at the hospital pre-made from a factory.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18The only thing left to do for the kitchen staff would be to heat it up and get it out.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23It's a very different system to the current operation,
0:20:23 > 0:20:28but one that head chef John already has first-hand knowledge of.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- Now, you've had experience of this cook chill situation.- Yep, yep.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Your previous place used to be freshly cooked food?
0:20:35 > 0:20:39It was originally, and then after two or three years we went over to cook chill.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41And out of the brigade that was in the kitchen,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44I presume some of them lost their jobs, did they?
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Yeah, there were vacancies and they just didn't get refilled.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Tell me about it.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Basically, I think it's a retrograde step, really,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56because it's definitely using cheaper ingredients.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59- And we used to get very few complaints when we were doing traditional...- Yeah.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03And then the complaints started to go up when we moved over to cook chill.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05And it's very difficult to defend
0:21:05 > 0:21:09if you're called up to a ward and they say, "This is rubbish."
0:21:09 > 0:21:11You can't do anything about it, can you?
0:21:11 > 0:21:15No. We've got no input at all apart from loading it into a trolley.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18The spectre of moving to a cook chill system here
0:21:18 > 0:21:21is unsettling other members of the team, too.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23It's like a cloud hanging over you.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25It's a real worry, and morale does get hit by it.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Cos that must be quite depressing.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30You know that any point in time, through no fault of your own,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34you could get dragged in and all of you could lose your jobs.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38Yeah. Which is frightening. Frightening.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I just don't think you've got the flexibility with cook chill,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44- and we can tailor make our service for patients.- Yeah.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49And of course, also, you will invariably get rid of most of your catering staff
0:21:49 > 0:21:53with cook chill, you will even probably get rid of your kitchen.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57How do you feel about that? For someone who's been working in the NHS for as long as you have.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Do you think it's inevitable?
0:21:59 > 0:22:03I think they think it's a way of actually reducing costs in the NHS,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07and when you build new hospitals these days, invariably
0:22:07 > 0:22:12they won't build a kitchen with it. They'll just go cook chill.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16You can see when you speak to Andrew that the frustration
0:22:16 > 0:22:21is in his voice, really. And all these years he's put in and all this work he's put in,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23that to still have that cloud over him,
0:22:23 > 0:22:27thinking it's going to be cook chill at any minute,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30and this is happening all around the UK.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32It's not just... He's not on his own here.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35You've got a lot of people trying to do good in the NHS,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38and then it gets taken away from them.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42So it gives certainly Jonathan more incentive when he takes over
0:22:42 > 0:22:43the reins to continue his legacy,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46and also all the staff in the kitchen as well,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50who have seen at first-hand exactly what cook chill can do.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54It's clear there's determination to make the kitchen economically viable here.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58But its fate lies with the hospital's key decision maker,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Chief Executive, Melanie Walker.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04As a Chief Exec, I was thinking this was going to be a very
0:23:04 > 0:23:08glamorous office and everything else. This is reality, though, isn't it?
0:23:08 > 0:23:11It's one of the many myths about the life of an NHS Chief Exec, James.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- This particular hospital is struggling financially.- Yeah.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18It's been in the papers. Just how much is this place over budget?
0:23:18 > 0:23:22So, we have got the dubious honour of being pronounced in the
0:23:22 > 0:23:28Health Service Journal as being the Trust with the highest percentage deficit.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31So our budget is about £173 million,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35and we have a deficit of about £15 million.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38- Which, by anybody's measure, is a lot, yeah.- A lot.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42- Yeah.- And there comes a point where we've got to think very
0:23:42 > 0:23:44differently about how we run the hospital.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46And there isn't an easy answer to that.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49So, I'm trying to narrow it down into the catering side of it.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Because you have this real black cloud over downstairs
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- about this cook chill thing.- Yeah.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59I mean, the way you're nodding your head, this could be a distinct
0:23:59 > 0:24:02possibility to save money, would that be the case?
0:24:02 > 0:24:07The issue for me and for the board will be - which provides the better quality and value?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10There will be a financial decision in that.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12I'm not going to pretend that there wouldn't.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- That's going to be quite high up the list, the financial decision. - Yeah.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Hearing that the hospital has a £15 million overspend,
0:24:20 > 0:24:25it's clear that Melanie has to think very seriously about where she can make savings.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30But I'm not sure that cook chill can be any cheaper for the hospital
0:24:30 > 0:24:34than the great food the kitchen staff are already providing.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38This is the lowest budget I've seen in terms of per patient per day for food.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40- £2.72 is the lowest I know. - OK, right.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Are you telling me you can actually get cook chill for the same amount of money?
0:24:44 > 0:24:47I haven't seen the price, so I don't know if that's true or not,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49but we had a piece of work done about a year ago
0:24:49 > 0:24:57that initially indicated we could make significant savings on catering and the kitchens, etc.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02- How can I help? - What I'm looking for from the opportunity of you coming along
0:25:02 > 0:25:06- is, can we improve the offering in the restaurant so we get more profit in?- Absolutely, yeah.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Can we then use that profit to put into patient food?
0:25:10 > 0:25:14Which helps in the situation where we haven't got huge amounts of additional money.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18I can certainly help you with the restaurant being more profitable,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20because 1,200 people come through those doors,
0:25:20 > 0:25:24and I think there's a huge market for a grab-and-go sort of idea.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25Fantastic.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27And I'm clear that if we make it profitable,
0:25:27 > 0:25:33that changes some of the debate, but then we can begin to put some of that money back into patient food.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Yeah. If we were to streamline the restaurant,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38would this cloud that's going over them at the moment...?
0:25:38 > 0:25:43Because you can imagine coming to work, you've got guys who've got kids and he doesn't know
0:25:43 > 0:25:46whether he's going to jump ship or whether he's got a job next week.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Yeah. I'm very happy to have that conversation with them.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51I've had that conversation with them before. We can have it again.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54What they want is just security for 12 months to say,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58"Right, if we're going to do this, let's focus on it before any decision is made, if any."
0:25:58 > 0:26:02Yeah. If we can come up with a solution that is viable,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06the executive team's preference is to retain the existing service.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10I'm pretty positive that we can make it better for you. I think this could work.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13- Brilliant.- It was an absolute pleasure to meet you.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15- Pleasure to meet you. - I don't envy your job at all.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19- But then, on Christmas day I don't envy yours! - THEY LAUGH
0:26:19 > 0:26:22The message from the top seems pretty clear to me:
0:26:22 > 0:26:25turn round the catering department's overspend,
0:26:25 > 0:26:29or face the introduction of cook chill food in the hospital.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32It's a challenge that won't be easy on the team's budget,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35but from what I've seen, there's an obvious route to recovery.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39I think given the amount of people that come into this restaurant,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42there's definitely scope that we can do quite a number of things in here
0:26:42 > 0:26:44and definitely make it more profitable.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48Here they reckon there's about 1,200 people per day, so...
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Just little tweaks, but on the whole it looks pretty good so far.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58What I'd see as little tweaks in one of my restaurants, though,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01are often a very different matter in the NHS -
0:27:01 > 0:27:03or so I've discovered in the past.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07So the issue that's in front of us is where we're sat now, the restaurant.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11- Restaurant. Yeah.- We need to make this more profitable. - That's exactly it, yeah.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13I think you're in the unique position where you've got
0:27:13 > 0:27:16a large number of people coming in here.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Mostly all those are staff,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22so they're quick and go, grab on the hoof, sort of thing.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Watching those grab-and-go customers this morning
0:27:24 > 0:27:28I wasn't too surprised to see that it was the fresh sandwiches
0:27:28 > 0:27:32made by Andy's team that were the best sellers.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36- Your sandwiches were the quickest thing to fly out of here this morning.- Yeah.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38- So Monday - double it.- OK.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42And then what I think we should do, from this moment forward,
0:27:42 > 0:27:48on Monday, let's look at doing packs of salad that's already made.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50And then I think soup needs to be on.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53- Lunch and evening? - Lunch and evening.- OK, fine.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57You see, 100 portions of soup at £1.50, that's £150,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59it's cost you £25.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03You've gone 15 grand shortfall to 15 grand profit,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06and you've just made soup, you ain't done anything.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09When you've got the 1,100, 1,200 and predominantly are staff,
0:28:09 > 0:28:11then you've got to look at their eating habits.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16Half an hour break, 85%, that's a big chunk, is going grab-and-go.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20So let's aim at that for the moment.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22It's a pretty simple plan,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24but there's no doubting it will increase workload
0:28:24 > 0:28:29for the kitchen, which may not go down well with everyone on the team.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32I think the restaurant is the key point to our survival in staying traditional.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35I think they're very good ideas, and obviously we'll give them a go.
0:28:35 > 0:28:40The only thing I'm concerned about, some of the suggestions like making sandwiches,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43we're quite short staffed, we're not the most staffed in the catering.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46If a member were to go sick or we're short staffed,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49it's very difficult to make everything in one day.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Jonathan might have concerns, but I believe making more of an effort
0:28:52 > 0:28:55with some soups and other fresh foods to go
0:28:55 > 0:29:00is a vital way of getting the restaurant to turn a profit.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04There's also another cost-cutting measure I'd like to see them take on.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07The kitchen is currently running a two-week menu cycle,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11but the average stay in the hospital for a patient
0:29:11 > 0:29:12is actually less than a week.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16Halving the range of meals that the team makes for both the restaurant and the wards
0:29:16 > 0:29:20would have major cost-saving benefits for the kitchen.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24I know we've got this two-week menu cycle.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26- I would do a one-week menu cycle. - OK.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29It's a massive change, it's a big ask, I know it is.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33James has actually thought that a one-week menu cycle
0:29:33 > 0:29:37would be more than adequate for patients. I don't have an issue with that at all.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41You can't be just set in your ways, you've got to be open to change,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44and that goes on constantly - change goes on all the time.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46If every single NHS hospital had an Andrew,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49we wouldn't be in this situation.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53And I think without those guys being really passionate about what they do,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57none of this would work and everything would become cook chill,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59and unfortunately that's the way things are going.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01How do you feel, honestly, about
0:30:01 > 0:30:04walking out these doors in February?
0:30:04 > 0:30:06As I say, apprehensive, I think.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09All I want is to make sure when I do leave here,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12John's going to take over and it will be left in a good state.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15Which hopefully it is. Unfortunately, if I stayed on any longer,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18they'd probably end up carrying me out! HE LAUGHS
0:30:18 > 0:30:21I'm impressed with Andy's commitment to the kitchen,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24and the team seems happy with my plan.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28It's over to them now to implement some changes before my next visit.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32If we can improve the profit margin in the restaurant,
0:30:32 > 0:30:34and make it a lot more profitable, then I'm almost sure
0:30:34 > 0:30:37the Trust will park cook chill and save traditional.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41Hopefully when I leave, I'd like to come back in a year after that
0:30:41 > 0:30:43and find it still intact.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47If the team and I can turn round the problems at Harlow, it will be
0:30:47 > 0:30:50a positive step. But I want much more than that.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54My aim is to see an improvement across the NHS.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58To get a greater understanding of the obstacles to that, I invited
0:30:58 > 0:31:02you to share your experiences of hospital food with me.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Since calling for help, your stories and pictures have been
0:31:05 > 0:31:10flooding into my inbox, and they make for some sorry reading.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14Well, this is it, people are responding, and to be honest,
0:31:14 > 0:31:18I'm pretty shocked at the amount of e-mails that we've had.
0:31:18 > 0:31:23Nearly 300 at the moment and counting. This says it all, really.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26"Having spent five nights in hospital in August,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30"it was only on the fourth day I had something to eat.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33"There was a selection of food but a strange selection.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37"This was one of them - jacket potato with a cheese and leek filling."
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Slightly different, isn't it, really?
0:31:43 > 0:31:45What is that?!
0:31:45 > 0:31:47HE LAUGHS
0:31:49 > 0:31:51Some pig died in vain. Look at that.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54At least, I think it's sausages.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57That is proper rubbish.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00"This was supposed to be mash potato and minced beef served to me
0:32:00 > 0:32:02"after a bowel operation.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06"I couldn't even bear the smell. It was absolutely disgusting."
0:32:06 > 0:32:10That's down to people who don't give a damn, which is annoying.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13I mean, look at that. That looks like something that somebody's regurgitated.
0:32:13 > 0:32:21Look at it! That's the reality of the food that's served in the NHS, and we're paying for this.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25It inspires you to get in there and to work hard and improve it,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28but a lot of these Trusts and a lot of these hospitals won't let you in.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32And this is just a little insight into... I mean, just look at that!
0:32:32 > 0:32:33What the hell is that?!
0:32:33 > 0:32:36"I was given this the day after having a baby.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38"Needless to say, I politely declined."
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Not surprised!
0:32:40 > 0:32:43"For your interest I attach a photo of the food that was
0:32:43 > 0:32:47"served during his stay which looked and smelled disgusting.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49"I even quizzed a member of the nursing staff
0:32:49 > 0:32:52"and asked what it is, and she couldn't even tell me.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58"Regards, Colin."
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Colin, I can't tell you what it is,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02and I've been in catering for 30 years.
0:33:02 > 0:33:07And you can see people are really annoyed about it, because these
0:33:07 > 0:33:09responses are not one line responses,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12they're paragraphs and paragraphs.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Why do we have to put up with this rubbish?
0:33:16 > 0:33:20If ever I needed a reminder as to why all this matters,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23the e-mails and pictures flooding in have provided me
0:33:23 > 0:33:25with plenty of ammunition.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29Whatever the claims the NHS might make about the quality of their food,
0:33:29 > 0:33:34the evidence from patients reveals the shocking extent of a very different story.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38But the sheer scale of the problem is a stark reminder that
0:33:38 > 0:33:42making improvements on a national scale is going to be a tall order.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45All I wanted to do was make the food better for people in hospitals.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49That's all I wanted to do, and it's all I still want to do.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53How you achieve it isn't easy.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56People have got to want to change, you know what I mean?
0:33:56 > 0:34:00It's one of the most frustrating things in a business that
0:34:00 > 0:34:02doesn't have to make money, you know?
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Bringing about real and lasting change might be a tough ask,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10but I'm still determined to give it a go.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12And while saving individual hospital kitchens
0:34:12 > 0:34:15and changing menus here and there is all great,
0:34:15 > 0:34:19I believe the key to this is to make the fight a bigger one.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22Getting into every hospital isn't feasible.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26So I think I've hit upon an idea which should help - by enlisting
0:34:26 > 0:34:30the support of hospital catering managers throughout the country.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34I thought what I'd do is actually go through the back door of the hospitals,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38and get the chefs to come down to my house and almost do like
0:34:38 > 0:34:42an open house and get lectures from all the people that have been working with the NHS
0:34:42 > 0:34:45that can explain to them what it is we're trying to do
0:34:45 > 0:34:48and what it is we're trying to achieve to make things better.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52If we get it right, and if I can get all the people talking to each other
0:34:52 > 0:34:54and get their backing, more than anything else,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57we can hopefully change things for the good.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01This is probably going to be the hardest task yet,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03to try and change people's opinions. Trust me.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07So, if I can't get to all the hospitals,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09the hospitals can come to me.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13One organisation which could prove vital to the success
0:35:13 > 0:35:17of my open house plan is the Hospital Caterers Association.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22In the past, they've been reluctant to meet me,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25probably as they felt I was knocking their work.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28But now their chairman Andy Jones has offered to help out,
0:35:28 > 0:35:34another sign that my ideas are starting to make inroads with the people who really count.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38Now, you've been watching this from the sidelines over the last few years.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42I certainly have, yes. I watched the first series and the second series,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44and I've still got them on playback, actually.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47What did you make of it in terms of what I was trying to do?
0:35:47 > 0:35:50The first series, I think, as an association, we stepped back from it
0:35:50 > 0:35:53because we've had celebrity chefs involved in the process before,
0:35:53 > 0:35:57and we felt, "Is this another celebrity chef?"
0:35:57 > 0:36:00But as the series went on, we decided
0:36:00 > 0:36:03no - it was somebody different who really wanted to make a difference.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05And the work that we believe that you're doing
0:36:05 > 0:36:08will make it again part of the recovery plan.
0:36:08 > 0:36:14A seal of approval from the association for what I'm trying to achieve is a real breakthrough.
0:36:14 > 0:36:19With over 400 members, they're the major voice for the industry.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23And now I've got them in my corner, I'm determined to make their support count.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26I'm going to be honest with you, we had an awful problem
0:36:26 > 0:36:28trying to get into a hospital in the first place.
0:36:28 > 0:36:33Even continuing to do so. We're now three, four years into this project.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37It's very difficult to get a hospital to respond to us, let alone let me in.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41I've got an idea, all right? And that idea, rather than me
0:36:41 > 0:36:44going around and trying to change each one individually,
0:36:44 > 0:36:47if we do an open invitation, say, for one or two days,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50I do a workshop. It's an open invitation
0:36:50 > 0:36:53for anyone of your guys, your members,
0:36:53 > 0:36:57to come down, I think we possibly could break new ground here.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59Cos if we did that and gave them away
0:36:59 > 0:37:02a pack of recipes and information,
0:37:02 > 0:37:05they would then have their choice to go away and make a difference.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08This is another way of doing it, but do it not via the back door,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11but via the people that matter.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14And I get the feeling, if we can speak to the head chef, then we can make a huge difference.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18- I don't know how you feel about it, but...- I feel that's a really great idea.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20As an association, we'd certainly welcome that.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23In terms of the way we push this forward,
0:37:23 > 0:37:27shall we put something together on a piece of paper for you to fire out
0:37:27 > 0:37:31on your database to all your members and particularly the chefs?
0:37:31 > 0:37:35- Yes.- The key to this is getting the chefs involved in it.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Having the backing of the Hospital Caterers Association is huge,
0:37:39 > 0:37:41and Andy is as good as his word
0:37:41 > 0:37:45when it comes to letting his members know my plans.
0:37:45 > 0:37:46He sends each of them
0:37:46 > 0:37:49an invitation to the open house workshop that I'm planning.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53And it's not long before e-mails from all over the UK begin to
0:37:53 > 0:37:55pour in with requests to attend.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00But they aren't the only responses filling my inbox.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02As the days tick down to the cookery school,
0:38:02 > 0:38:04shocking images of hospital food
0:38:04 > 0:38:07sent to me by patients and their families continue to pour in -
0:38:07 > 0:38:13a constant reminder of why all this is so vitally important.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17And inviting round all those chefs is my chance to get
0:38:17 > 0:38:21the message through to lots of hospitals - all in one go.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Well, this is it. It's the morning of the cooking school
0:38:24 > 0:38:26and I'm getting set up.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28I think what's going to be great about today is
0:38:28 > 0:38:31I can't get round every single hospital, it's not possible,
0:38:31 > 0:38:35and I've learnt, trust me, I've learnt by doing this,
0:38:35 > 0:38:39that it's very difficult to change one let alone trying to change two.
0:38:39 > 0:38:44I'm really pleased that we've got people who are currently
0:38:44 > 0:38:48working in hospitals all around the UK coming down.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51The whole idea of this is I'm going to teach them a couple of things that I've learnt.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55I want them to tell me what they expect,
0:38:55 > 0:39:00and what it's like for them, and whether or not we can help them.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04But I think the effect that we could have on the NHS is massive, really.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07If those hospitals go away and implement
0:39:07 > 0:39:11just a small fraction of what they're going to learn today,
0:39:11 > 0:39:15that will make a massive difference to patients all across the UK.
0:39:15 > 0:39:20So, the key to this day is information, informal chat,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23and having lunch, really.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28But before the first of my guests have even turned up,
0:39:28 > 0:39:30I get news of a major setback.
0:39:30 > 0:39:36Word has reached me about the future of a hospital kitchen where an old friend works.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41Well, as well as getting e-mails from people regarding
0:39:41 > 0:39:46hospital food, this has just come up in the local newspaper.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49It says here that the kitchen is set to close in Bridlington.
0:39:49 > 0:39:55It looks from this that Bridlington is going cook chill.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00Bridlington is one of two hospital kitchens managed by my old friend, Pat Bell.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03- How are you doing?- How are you? - Nice to see you.- Nice to see you.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06As the catering manager at Scarborough General,
0:40:06 > 0:40:10she helped me turn things around at the first hospital I visited
0:40:10 > 0:40:12when I began this mission.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14How much was the budget per patient?
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Last year it worked out at £3.30 per patient.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20- So, you're 19 pence under budget. - Yeah.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24The success we achieved at Scarborough led to Pat also
0:40:24 > 0:40:28rolling out the same ideas at the hospital in nearby Bridlington,
0:40:28 > 0:40:30part of the same Trust.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34So, after everything she's done to turn the food around at both hospitals,
0:40:34 > 0:40:38I expect the news that one of those kitchens is closing
0:40:38 > 0:40:39will have hit her pretty hard.
0:40:39 > 0:40:44Hi there, Pat. It's James here. How are you?
0:40:44 > 0:40:46I've just read it. Tell me what's happened.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51It's clear from the phone call that Pat is pretty shaken,
0:40:51 > 0:40:53and doesn't want to say too much.
0:40:53 > 0:40:54Chin up. Bye!
0:40:56 > 0:41:00But with a bit of digging, I'm able to find out more about what's happened.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02That's interesting.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05York Trust are actually investing into a new kitchen,
0:41:05 > 0:41:09a new development kitchen, a new restaurant all at York.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13The fear is they're doing that to expand the cook chill enterprise
0:41:13 > 0:41:16to be able to cater for Bridlington and Scarborough possibly,
0:41:16 > 0:41:20and other hospitals that are round and about
0:41:20 > 0:41:23that are going to be hoovered in into the main trust.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28It seems ridiculous and makes me demoralised, to be honest,
0:41:28 > 0:41:33and frustrates me, and actually makes me think, well, what's the point?
0:41:33 > 0:41:37It makes you think you're fighting a losing battle, sometimes.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42When you've got people as good as Pat running a catering department
0:41:42 > 0:41:44and even she gets...dumped on.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49And...I don't want that to happen, but I don't know how to stop it.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52What more do you have to do?
0:41:54 > 0:41:58It might be bad news, but I'm determined not to let this set back
0:41:58 > 0:42:01my plans to roll out a workable and lasting template for change.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06And right on cue, the people I think will be able to
0:42:06 > 0:42:10carry on that fight are arriving to take my campaign to the next stage.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18My cookery school kicks off and I soon discover
0:42:18 > 0:42:22not everyone shares my views on the future of hospital catering.
0:42:22 > 0:42:27There is a big black cloud over the NHS at the moment. Cook chill.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29I disagree with that. Don't disrespect,
0:42:29 > 0:42:33because cook chill is actually, I think, the better quality.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35I visit a Lancashire hospital where I need to impress
0:42:35 > 0:42:39some of the most plain-talking food critics I'm ever likely to cook for.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42What cheese do you want on your pizza?
0:42:42 > 0:42:45- The sprinkly one. - The sprinkly one?- Yeah.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50And I turn up the heat on the team at Harlow by revealing
0:42:50 > 0:42:55one of the steps I want them to take in the battle to save their jobs.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57I don't want to put any more pressure on you,
0:42:57 > 0:43:00but I want to go down to a one-week menu cycle.
0:43:00 > 0:43:01The look on your face!