Sustainable Food and Water Transformation at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Project completed as part of the 2025 Hampshire Hospitals Green Team Competition. 

Project Team Members: 

• Teri Hope, Facilities Admin Lead
• Mark Nicholson, Deputy Head of Catering
• Catering team

Setting / Patient Group: Inpatients at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, staff and visitors across Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Issue: 

Food production and provision contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and waste. The NHS serves 195 million meals annually, accounting for 6% of NHS waste emissions, with around 20% of meals wasted. Bottled water coolers also have a major environmental impact, up to 3,500 times greater than tap water, due to manufacturing, transport, and disposal of plastic bottles. These practices increase carbon emissions, plastic waste, and costs, while posing potential health risks from chemicals in plastics.

Aim: 

Improve nutritional quality and choice within patient menus while reducing environmental impact. Eliminate bottled water coolers and replace with mains-fed systems to cut carbon emissions, plastic waste, and costs.

Intervention: 

The team reviewed patient menus and introduced strategies to reduce meat and dairy, increase plant-based options, and create hybrid meals using pea protein alternatives. This work was supported by Greener by Default principles, such as placing plant-based options first and using appealing descriptions. New menus were trialed on five wards before roll out across Basingstoke site following good feedback. For water provision, existing coolers were audited, a standard operating procedure was developed and bottled water coolers were gradually replaced with mains-fed systems, including flavored water taps in restaurants.

Outcomes: 

• Clinical: Improved patient experience through increased choice and better nutritional balance. Patient feedback indicated higher satisfaction with taste and quality, and plate waste reduced by 64.5%. While direct measurement of recovery outcomes was not possible within the timeframe, literature supports links between good nutrition and improved recovery and wellbeing.
• Environmental Outcomes: Meat reduction and plant-based alternatives achieved a 67% reduction in food-related carbon emissions, projected to save 121,277 kgCO₂e annually (equivalent to 356,802 miles driven). Water project reduced emissions by 7,626 kgCO₂e per year and eliminated 273,264 plastic bottles, saving 22.4 tons of plastic.
• Economic Outcomes: Menu changes saved £110,358 annually (69% reduction in spend). Water project saved £72,931 per year by switching to mains-fed coolers.
• Social Outcomes: Patient satisfaction improved significantly, with 53% rating food as excellent (up 37%). Staff reported pride in sustainable menus, fostering a positive culture. Water provision changes improved hydration access and reduced reliance on single-use plastics.

Key Learning: 

Strong cross-departmental collaboration and iterative feedback were essential. Challenges included infrastructure upgrades and initial resistance to change, addressed through communication and flavored water options. The approach is transferable to other hospitals and care settings.