Down in Kent this week, still proud of its reputation as the Garden of England, I attended a conference organised by Food & Drink from the South East (FDSE), designed to establish contact between buying officers and growers and get more local produce into hospitals.

The concept, which is based on freshness, supporting the local community, and even price through the reduction of food miles, seemed eminently sensible and relatively simple to achieve. Particularly because there is government support for the idea, designed not only to encourage small producers but also to increase demand and therefore production.

In reality, however, it appears that any anticipation a local patient might have of enjoying Kent Cox or Thanet cauliflower from their hospital bed is likely to be throttled by the red tape which surrounds sourcing.

Buying managers, it was claimed, are often more concerned with the bigger picture, and are far more relaxed when dealing with established national contractors, of which the south east has 16.

One argument with some credence is that providing local food, while worthy, is restricted simply because it is not produced on the scale required. For this reason there appears to be little local knowledge about regional horticulture and what it can offer, and seasonality is also a closed book.

The other claim, which I felt probably carried as much weight with administrators, was that it kept down the blitz of paperwork.

So, what exists at the moment is a confused chicken and egg situation. In my view, to make progress, fruit and vegetable growers eager to follow up what could be a new exciting opportunity supported by FDSE must take the initiative and, as demonstrated by strong attendance at the seminar, are already doing so.

More than simply bypassing the bureaucracy, there was the message that everyone should benefit, including the patient.

After all, most growers have an excellent story to tell, far removed from the times when supplying schools, prisons and every other institution was the prerogative of the wholesale markets. Thirty years ago there was little control on quality and packaging, and weekly contract prices were arranged by consulting the back pages of FPJ.

Today times have changed.

Small local producers are increasingly finding their way onto the shelves of multiple retailers. And to achieve this they have had to follow the retail disciplines of hygiene and traceability.

Surely, these standards cannot be too far removed from the requirements of the National Health Service, and they may even be higher.

Next year institutional contracts are up for review, so there is no better time for regional organisations, which are also government backed, to help.