Published on: 5th August 2025
Read about how we introduced changes to the menus in its staff canteen last year as part of a collaboration with US non-profit organisation Greener by Default.
A new article in The Doctor, the BMA's blog for interesting articles, explores how our on-site canteen now offers a 50:50 ratio of vegetarian to meat-based meals.
The new menus have led to a 40 per cent reduction in the canteen’s carbon footprint, in the main down to a 1/3 reduction in the amount of meat on offer. The RNOH’s initiative also gives discounts to those who bring in their own reusable lunchboxes, or coffee cups, to help incentivise sustainability.
The new focus on good nutrition for staff links to a wider issue around how obesity rates are higher among healthcare professionals in England, often linked to to shift work, irregular eating patterns, tough working conditions and poor on-site facilities.
Patient nutrition is also central to care delivery at RNOH. For example, RNOH is running an upcoming trial to increase plant-based food offerings among patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI). This is because SCI patients can face neurogenic bowel dysfunction so they benefit from more fibre, a function of a plant-heavy diet.
The new food offerings at RNOH is just another example of how we're improving the overall experience of our staff. Happier - and healthier - staff leads to better patient care.