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FOI release

FOI – 2025-000119 Vegan Food Options in NHS Hospitals (HTML)

Published on 08 May 2025

Date received – 17 April 2025 | Date responded – 8 May 2025

Request

I am writing to ask for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2002. The information I request is below:

  1. Are nutritionally complete and appropriate vegan options available at all NHS hospitals?
  2. Are nutritionally appropriate vegan options guaranteed at all NHS hospitals at all times?
  3. Have you undertaken an equality impact assessment for vegans in hospital? If yes, can you provide a copy of the assessment?
  4. As you know, vegans in hospital can suffer if they don't have access to healthy nutritionally appropriate food. Is the NHS following it's public sector equality duty toward vegans? Please provide any documents or information to explain whether and how the PSED is being followed towards vegans.
  5. For vegans who arrive in hospital because an unforeseen emergency, are they guaranteed access to nutritionally appropriate vegan food?
  6. For vegan pregnant women, what steps are in place to ensure that they will have access to nutritionally appropriate vegan food if they have an extended stay in hospital, or during/after/or before giving birth?
  7. For elderly vegans who may have an extended stay in hospital, what steps are in place to ensure that they will have access to nutritionally appropriate vegan food at NHS hospitals?

Response

We have now completed the search of our records and can provide you with the following information:

1. Are nutritionally complete and appropriate vegan options available at all NHS hospitals?

Under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), an organisation is not required to provide information it does not hold. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) does not hold information regarding the nutritional content or availability of vegan food options in NHS Scotland hospitals, as this information is determined and maintained at local health board (HB) level. Further inquiries can be made to the FOI teams of the respective local HBs using the email addresses provided below.

2. Are nutritionally appropriate vegan options guaranteed at all NHS hospitals at all times?

Under Section 17 of the FOISA, an organisation is not required to provide information it does not hold. NSS does not hold information regarding the nutritional content or availability of vegan food options in NHS Scotland hospitals, as this information is determined and maintained at local HB level. Further inquiries can be made to the FOI teams of the respective local HBs using the email addresses provided below.

3. Have you undertaken an equality impact assessment for vegans in hospital? If yes, can you provide a copy of the assessment?

Under Section 17 of the FOISA, an organisation is not required to provide information it does not hold. NSS has not undertaken an equality impact assessment for vegan patients in hospitals. This information is determined and maintained at local HB level. Further inquiries can be made to the FOI teams of the respective local HBs using the email addresses provided below.

4. As you know, vegans in hospital can suffer if they don't have access to healthy nutritionally appropriate food. Is the NHS following it's public sector equality duty toward vegans? Please provide any documents or information to explain whether and how the PSED is being followed towards vegans.

Under Section 17 of the FOISA, an organisation is not required to provide information it does not possess. NSS does not follow a specific public sector equality duty toward vegan patients in hospitals as this is not under the remit of NSS. All HBs are required to comply with the Food in Hospitals National Catering and Nutrition Specification for Food and Fluid Provision in Hospitals (2016). This Specification was initially launched in 2006 and refreshed in 2016 and provides information on standards for nutritional care, nutrient and food provision for patients within hospitals in Scotland. The link to this specification is below. https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-consultation-proposed-options-improve-assure-nutritional-standard-food-nhsscotland-hospitals

5. For vegans who arrive in hospital because an unforeseen emergency, are they guaranteed access to nutritionally appropriate vegan food?

Under Section 17 of the FOISA, an organisation is not required to provide information it does not hold. NSS does not hold information regarding the nutritional content or availability of vegan food options in NHS Scotland hospitals, as this information is determined and maintained at local HB level. Further inquiries can be made to the FOI teams of the respective local HBs using the email addresses provided below.

6. For vegan pregnant women, what steps are in place to ensure that they will have access to nutritionally appropriate vegan food if they have an extended stay in hospital, or during/after/or before giving birth?

Under Section 17 of the FOISA, an organisation is not required to provide information it does not hold. NSS does not hold information regarding the nutritional content or availability of vegan food options in NHS Scotland hospitals, as this information is determined and maintained at local HB inquiries can be made to the FOI teams of the respective local HBs using the email addresses provided below.

7. For elderly vegans who may have an extended stay in hospital, what steps are in place to ensure that they will have access to nutritionally appropriate vegan food at NHS hospitals?

Under Section 17 of the FOISA, an organisation is not required to provide information it does not hold. NSS does not hold information regarding the nutritional content or availability of vegan food options in NHS Scotland hospitals, as this information is determined and maintained at local HB level. Further inquiries can be made to the FOI teams of the respective local HBs using the email addresses provided below:

I trust you will find the information of assistance and if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you are unhappy with any aspect of how we have dealt with your request, you can make representations to us asking us to review the handling of your request.

If you require any further information, please contact the Associate Director Governance and Board Services (Board Secretary) within 40 working days of the date of this correspondence.

Contact

Email: nss.foi@nhs.scot

Address

NHS National Services Scotland
Headquarters
Gyle Square
1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB

If after a review you are still unhappy, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner, who can be contacted at Kinburn Castle, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, or via their application form.

National Services Scotland (NSS) is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. You can view all FOI responses within our FOI Publications repository.

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