The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has added its voice to calls for better-quality hospital food though the introduction of hospital food standards in England.

The BDA's call comes following a report by Sustain called Twenty Years of Hospital Food Failure. Among other things the report found that between 1992 and 2013 the government introduced 21 failed voluntary initiatives to improve hospital food, costing more than £54 million of taxpayers’ money.

BDA honorary chairman Helen Davidson said: “Good food and appropriate nutrition must, at all times, be an absolute priority. We should never underestimate the impact this has on patient treatment, well being and improvement.

'Indeed, food and nutrition can be just as important as medication for some and patients should look forward to meal times. As it stands, the scope for this to improve in hospitals is massive.”