NHS Borders NHS Borders Education Centre Planning & Performance Melrose Roxburghshire TD6 9BD 01896 825545 [email protected]

Freedom of Information request 463-15

Request

I would like to know how many hospital meals have been thrown away in your hospitals each year for the last five years. Please include all that are not subject to private contracts.

What is the total expenditure on food and what proportion is thrown away?

I would like the figures separated by year.

Response

Information regarding the actual number of patient meals thrown away is not held but the average percentage of food waste is calculated from our quarterly waste audits from 2012 onwards, this is detailed as follows:

Borders General Hospital Knoll Hospital Plated/ Bulk Plated Plated 2011 No data held 2012 4.67/2.08% 0.56% 0.12% 2013 4.16/2.97% 0.31% 0.08% 2014 3.80/4.78% 0.23% 0.14% 2015 (to date) 3.85/3.26% 0.25% 0.16%

No data is held on the expenditure of food thrown away, therefore under Section 17 of the FOI(S)A 2002 we cannot provide this information.

Total expenditure on food is detailed in the table below.

Borders General Hospital Haylodge Hospital Knoll Hospital Total Year £ £ £ £ 2011/12 681,584 19,452 15,466 716,502 2012/13 681,155 30,291 23,287 734,733 2013/14 683,651 28,904 18,294 730,849 2014/15 639,116 35,811 23,418 698,345 April to Nov 15 418,896 22,818 14,429 456,143

Please note that the expenditure figure for the Borders General Hospital covers all off site wards at Hawick Community hospital and . The activity base to which the above expenditure relates has changed over the 5 year period.

If you are not satisfied with the way your request has been handled or the decision given, you may ask NHS Borders to review its actions and the decision. If you would like to request a review please apply in writing to, Freedom of Information Review, NHS Borders, Room 2EC3, Education Centre, Borders General Hospital, Melrose, TD6 9BS or [email protected].

The request for a review should include your name and address for correspondence, the request for information to which the request relates and the issue which you wish to be reviewed. Please state the reference number 463-15 on this request. Your request should be made within 40 working days from receipt of this letter.

If following this review, you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you may appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner and request an investigation of your complaint. Your request to the Scottish Information Commissioner should be in writing (or other permanent form), stating your name and an address for correspondence. You should provide the details of the request and your reasons for dissatisfaction with both the original response by NHS Borders and your reasons for dissatisfaction with the outcome of the internal review. Your application for an investigation by the Scottish Information Commissioner must be made within six months of your receipt of the response with which you are dissatisfied. The address for the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner is, Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife.