The recently launched second edition of the British Dietetic Association’s The Nutrition & Hydration Digest sees the culmination of the hard work of the Digest Review Working Group, a small team of experts which included Illumina Lifestyle Consulting principal consultant, Angela Tella.
The Digest is one of five key documents that comprise the national hospital food standards in England which since April 2015 are part of the NHS Standard Contract and therefore legally binding. Initially developed in 2012 by the BDA’s Food Service Specialist Group (FSSG), the Digest is a dedicated toolkit to help hospitals deliver nutritious meals that meet patient requirements.
The second edition includes updated references and recommendations including information about the Hospital Food Standards. It has been streamlined and re-ordered to give a logical flow while reducing repetition and also features a new chapter about Health and Wellbeing for staff and visitors in the NHS, reflecting new requirements and standards. Additionally, guidance on special diets has been significantly extended, including more information about diets for cultural and religious reasons, and new information about specialist diets including Low FODMAP.