Jo Webber, deputy director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said:

“Nutrition is an important part of helping people to get better, as well as a vital indicator of how well patients are cared for in hospital.”

“Considerable progress has been made in ensuring that patients are fed properly in NHS hospitals although more can always be done and improvement should be ongoing. A large part of addressing the issue is making sure that all providers of care have systems in place that enable them to recognise those at risk on admission.

“Initiatives like red tray systems to highlight when someone is in need of help with eating and dedicated meal times so patients can be given proper attention, alongside a growing knowledge of the extent of recovery benefits of good diet, will all continue to contribute towards improving this vital element of care.