• This guideline provides information on food hygiene required for prevention and control of infection in ward areas.

• The guidelines is a supplement to the Frimley Health Catering Policy.

• Food health and safety legislation places clear responsibility on suppliers of food to ensure that it is fit for consumption.

• Visitors should be discouraged from bringing meals into the hospital.

• Under no circumstances are healthcare workers to re-heat patient meals, or any food/meals brought in by visitors.

This is a controlled document. If you are using a printed copy, check it against the guidelines site to ensure you are using the latest edition. Print copies must be destroyed after use.

Food health and safety legislation places clear responsibility on suppliers of food to ensure that it is fit for consumption. This includes the providers of food for patients in hospitals, not only in terms of food prepared in the main kitchens, but also its management on the ward and in other healthcare settings.

• Hands must be cleaned before preparing or serving food.

• Patients should be offered hand hygiene facilities prior to eating and drinking, and assistance given as required.

• Use appropriate colour-coded cleaning equipment in the hospital kitchen/ food preparation area.

• All kitchen surfaces to be kept clean and dry.

• Bins must be emptied at least once a day and kept in a clean condition.

• Bins must have a lid to deter pests and prevent smells.

• Kitchen waste should be disposed of in line with the Trust segregation of waste guidance.

• Ward crockery and cutlery must be washed in a dishwasher (not by hand). If the ward dishwasher is out-of-order contact Estates & Facilities to arrange urgent repair of appliance. An alternative ward’s dishwasher will need to be used in the interim.

• Patients and visitors are not permitted to use the ward kitchen.

• Dry foods to be kept in air-tight containers.

• All spills of food to be cleaned up immediately.

• All food to be covered before storage.

• Decanted or prepared food must be labelled with day of opening or use-by-dates.

• Expired products must be removed.

REFRIGERATED FOOD MUST BE KEPT AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW 5℃.

• If your refrigerator cannot maintain this temperature, you must not store these foods.

• Fridge temperatures must be recorded at least daily, with the initials or name of the person undertaking the check also being recorded.

• If no internal thermometer, a thermometer should be kept on the top shelf and the temperature recorded daily.

• Fridge must have annual electrical test.

• Fridge must be cleaned and defrosted weekly.

• All foods in the fridge must be dated and, if for a specific patient, named.

• Patients and visitors must be aware that food that is not labelled and dated will be discarded.

• If operating above 5℃ adjust the temperature and check and record again after two hours.

• If still fails to meet the temperature any food stored should be discarded (apart from foods that do not need refrigeration).

• Contact Facilities to arrange urgent repair of appliance. Do not use until repair carried out.

Visitors frequently bring in gifts for patients that are edible. It is preferable that this is pre-packaged and low risk (e.g. chocolates, biscuits, fruit drinks in cartons).

Visitors should be discouraged from bringing meals into the hospital. Please refer to the Catering Manager if patient has concerns over food palatability.

Stand–alone coolers should not be used in clinical areas (DH 2013). Coolers must be mains fed and in kitchens/ appropriate non-clinical areas for staff use, only. Coolers must be under a pre-planned maintenance programme and have a cleaning schedule in place.

Compliance with this guideline is monitored as part of Infection Prevention & Control Environmental Audits.

NHS Executive 1996 Management of Food Hygiene and food services in the National Health Service Department of Health, London. Management of Food Hygiene and food services in the National Health Service

The Food Safety Act 1990.

General Food Law Regulations (EC) 178/2002

Guidance on General Food Law Regulations (EG) 178/2002

General Food Regulations 2004.

(All the above can be accessed via:www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/regulation/foodlaw/)

Department of Health 2016 Health Technical Memorandum 04-01: safe water in healthcare premises: Part B: operational management. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/DH_HTM_0401_PART_B_acc.pdf

Department of Health and Social Care The Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-and-social-care-act-2008-code-of-practice-on-the-prevention-and-control-of-infections-and-related-guidance/health-and-social-care-act-2008-code-of-practice-on-the-prevention-and-control-of-infections-

Department of Health 2013 Water systems: HTM 04-01 - Addendum: Pseudomonas aeruginosa – advice for augmented care unit. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/140105/Health_Technical_Memorandum_04-01_Addendum.pdf

Department of Health, 2017 Establishing food standards for NHS hospitals Department of Health London. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/establishing-food-standards-for-nhs-hospitals

Food Standards Agency 2009 The Food Safety Act: A Guide for Food Businesses FDA, London. Available at: https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/Food%20standards%20safety%20act%201990%20PDF.pdf

Food Standards Agency 2023 Food hygiene for your business, London. https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/food-hygiene-for-your-business

This guideline has been registered with the Trust. However, clinical guidelines are guidelines only. The interpretation and application of clinical guidelines will remain the responsibility of the individual clinician. If in doubt, contact a senior colleague or expert. Caution is advised when using guidelines after the review date. This guideline is for use in Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust hospitals only. Any use outside this location will not be supported by the Trust and will be at the risk of the individual using it.

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