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Five of the country’s regions lack a contingency plan for how the hospitals’ meal operations should function in the event of a crisis, according to a survey.
The Swedish Food Agency is calling for a new approach to meals in healthcare.
– The meal issues need to be raised on a strategic level overall, not least in view of preparedness, says Emelie Eriksson.
She is the project manager for the Swedish Food Agency’s competence center for meals in care, school and social care, and thinks that the mapping that the agency has done shows that things are still going in the right direction – even if the regions have progressed differently in the preparedness work.
16 of the 21 regions have stated that they have contingency and continuity plans in place to ensure meal operations in the event of a crisis or disaster.
Total defense area
There is no precise definition for what such a plan includes.
– But we understand that everyone is working on the issue and is about to produce a contingency plan. The work is ongoing, says Eriksson.
She says that there is generally good preparedness in the healthcare system, but that the meal business is easily left out.
– It could be that you have backup power for the hospital, but have not connected it to the kitchen, which is in another building. When we look at this, we see that the meals are often in a service organization a little to the side of the health care, says Eriksson.
The five regions that lack a plan are not reported. On its website, the Swedish Food Agency writes that food supply is a priority area in total defense planning.
Highly topical
There is no date for when the regions need to have plans in place, but Emelie Eriksson calls it “highly topical”.
TT: Shouldn’t the regions already be aware of this?
– Absolutely, but these are large organisations. The preparedness work is complex and takes time. For many years, it was not as urgent and topical as it is now, and became in connection with the pandemic. It is very timely to review it now, says Eriksson.
The Swedish Food Agency has produced a preparedness manual for public meals to help with preparedness work.
– It is not least an important call to decision-makers to ensure that meal operations are given the right conditions. We know that the meal organizations are working on this, but the right resources are needed to be able to implement this, says Emelie Eriksson.
Facts
Included in total defence
According to the Swedish Food Agency’s website, food supply is one of seven priority areas in total defense planning.
“Preparedness to prepare, serve and distribute meals to patients in hospitals is important for society to function even in the event of social disturbances,” the agency writes.
The mapping, which was carried out in 2021, must be followed up in three years.
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