Health starts at home for NHS as it bans fizzy drinks in hospitals

SUGARY drinks will be banned from sale in NHS hospitals across England from July, the health service has announced.

This week NHS England released an updated contract for hospitals, which for the first time included a clause prohibiting the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages. Retailers including Marks & Spencer, WH Smith and Subway had already agreed to cut sales of sweet drinks to a maximum of 10 per cent of their output.

But the new rule will stop outlets from selling the drinks at all, a move which was welcomed by campaigners. It also means a ban for fizzy and sugary drinks in hundreds of NHS cafes and staff canteens. Katherine Button, of the Campaign for Better Hospital food, said: “We welcome this move by NHS England to ban the sale of sugary drinks in our hospitals. Tooth extraction as a result of tooth decay is the most common cause for hospitalisation of children under five – putting unnecessary pressure on stretched NHS services.

“This bold leadership from NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens is exactly what we need to tackle these big health challenges.”

England will be just the second country in the world to introduce such a plan, with Portugal taking action last year. New rules will also heavily restrict the sale of any high-calorie foods.

From next April, 60 per cent of sandwiches and pre-packed meals on sale in hospitals must contain a maximum of 400 calories per serving – rising to 75 per cent a year later. And 60 per cent of sweets and chocolates sold must not exceed 250 calories – rising to 80 per cent by 2019. Almost 700,000 of the 1.3 million people employed by the NHS are thought to be overweight.

♦ Waitrose is to ban sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under

16. The retailer said customers buying drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre would be asked to prove they are over 16 from March 5.