# NHS in England ponders sugary drinks ban



## Northerner (Nov 9, 2016)

The NHS in England is asking staff and the public about whether it should ban or impose a tax on any sugary drinks sold in hospitals.

Chief executive Simon Stevens says he wants the NHS to set a healthy example and "practise what we preach".

He says trials at four NHS hospitals show either option could work.

If the plan goes ahead, England would be the first country in the world to take such action. The consultation runs until 18 January.

Subject to consultation, the drinks affected would be any with added sugar, including fruit juices, sweetened milk-based drinks and sweetened coffees.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37914050

How about doing something about all the other cr*p they serve up, or have available on site?   Tax the pop, yes, that'll solve it


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## Ljc (Nov 9, 2016)

I so agree with your statement.


Northerner said:


> How about doing something about all the other cr*p they serve up, or have available on site?   Tax the pop, yes, that'll solve it



Don't get me wrong but my last two hospital stays, though the food was good, unless you had a salad for dinner, everything was high carb with a tiny portion of veg.  Then sandwiches and soup for tea, as for the snack trolley we'll forget it sweets, choc, and crisps...........


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## Robin (Nov 9, 2016)

I see they include sweetened coffees, but presumably they'll still provide sachets of sugar, so what's to stop you sweetening your own? Like all these headline grabbing things, when you get down to practicalities, they don't work. Oh, and remind me to take my own hypo treatments with me next time I have to attend a hospital.


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## Amigo (Nov 9, 2016)

I just wish EVERYWHERE would consider sugar free options for drinks. I'm sick of Diet Coke and honestly think it's a start. Never mind taxing the sugar fuelled ones, just make better choice available....please!


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2016)

I wrote this a while ago - not hospitals, but a gym in this case, but same applies!  


Why is it in this health-conscious age, with government campaigns ringing in our ears, that so many food establishments fail to act and provide good, wholesome and healthy fare? Recently a lady on the forum related a tale of how, in a health and fitness club or all places, she had found it virtually impossible to purchase food that would satisfy her hunger without clogging up her arteries, spiking her blood sugar levels and sending her blood pressure through the roof. She was compelled to bring her own food, but warned by the manager that this was against the rules and she would risk getting her membership cancelled if she persisted. Here’s how I imagine the conversation went…

I’m so sorry madam, you can’t eat that here,
We’ve a rule against bringing in food,
You’ll find what we offer is healthy and fresh,
So don’t eat your own – that’s just rude!

Our menu is here, please read and you’ll see
The wonderful things that we sell!
Both savoury and sweet, vegetarian and meat,
And a wide range of soft drinks as well!

For our sandwiches we use only fine refined bread,
As white as the snows before Spring!
We can fill it with Spam, crispy bacon or jam,
Or sausages fit for a king!

Ah! I see our pork pies have just caught your eye!
They’re served with a big plate of chips!
Come on, don’t deny that you’d love one to try!
I can see that you’re licking your lips!

What’s that? A nice salad? No, I don’t think we do,
There’s never much call for that here…
We’ve some nice battered fish you could have if you wish – 
We make all our batter with beer!

Now, to wash it all down, then you could go to town
With a full sugar energy drink!
The cups are so big if you fell in you’d drown,
And there’s no finer tonic – don’t you think?

What’s that? You’ll decline? Well, I feel I must say
That you look like you need a good meal!
For you’re thinner each day, like you’re wasting away,
Just imagine how much better you’d feel!


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## Ljc (Nov 9, 2016)

Amigo said:


> I just wish EVERYWHERE would consider sugar free options for drinks. I'm sick of Diet Coke and honestly think it's a start. Never mind taxing the sugar fuelled ones, just make better choice available....please!


Know what you mean  if you like Lilt they have Lilt zero in some places.


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## grovesy (Nov 9, 2016)

As an ex health service employee, they vending machines at times the only place you can get anything to eat or drink! Many don't have 24 your canteens, that is if you can even manage to get a break!


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## mikeyB (Nov 9, 2016)

You can get Diet Irn Bru at the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow, but also the real thing for hypos.


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## Ljc (Nov 9, 2016)

mikeyB said:


> You can get Diet Irn Bru at the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow, but also the real thing for hypos.


Drink  girders


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## Mark Parrott (Nov 9, 2016)

Addenbrookes hospital has a food hall.  More carbs & sugar than you can handle!  There is a Burger King, a baguette place & about 5 Costas.  I can't eat anything in the food hall, but they do have an M&S food & if I'm peckish, I get a pack of Piri Piri chicken strips, some cocktail sausages (6.8g per 100g) & a diet ginger beer.  Sometimes get the prawns & seafood sauce, but they are pricey considering the portion size.


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## HOBIE (Nov 9, 2016)

I cant stand sugar ! It was on about this on our local radio today. I think its in the right direction. From someone who has been T1 very nearly all his life. If you go anywhere there is about 6bags of sugar in things & it has to change or everyone will be diabetic. Something has to change


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## Martin Canty (Nov 9, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> Addenbrookes hospital has a food hall. More carbs & sugar than you can handle!


One of our local hospitals is run by the 7th Day Adventists..... Canteen is vegetarian


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## mikeyB (Nov 9, 2016)

You mean if you're admitted to this hospital, you've got to take in your own sausages?


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## Martin Canty (Nov 9, 2016)

Now that would probably warrant an exorcism at the very least!!!


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## mikeyB (Nov 9, 2016)

Let it burn, Martin.


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## trophywench (Nov 9, 2016)

Well unless you like toast and cereals you'd get no breakfast in a UK hospital these days, Martin.  I've never been sold a coffee anywhere with sugar actually in it - even when the single available teaspoon has been attached to the counter with a length of plug chain !  (a greasy spoon we used to frequent on the A38 years ago in the middle of the night, that one)


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## Ljc (Nov 10, 2016)

trophywench said:


> Well unless you like toast and cereals you'd get no breakfast in a UK hospital these days, Martin.  I've never been sold a coffee anywhere with sugar actually in it - even when the single available teaspoon has been attached to the counter with a length of plug chain !  (a greasy spoon we used to frequent on the A38 years ago in the middle of the night, that one)


Your dead unfortunate here if offered toast for brekky round here, I did get offered it once, it nearly made me  it must have spent all of 30 seconds in the toaster and was still mostly frozen the rest is porridge, cereals and bread with or without jam.


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## KookyCat (Nov 10, 2016)

Oh for goodness sake, this sugar nonsense is going to make my head explode.  It's not evil it's just sugar, and what are they going to put in its place?  Fruit juice, fruit, low fat sarnies?  You can't legislate what people eat, it won't work, you educate properly and then hope that 70% of folk take it on board and go with it.  The 30% who don't never will so there's no point. It's just laziness in the extreme.  There are some excellent models in retail where "healthier" is profitable and profitable means popular because people are willing to pay for it, M&S food, Pret, Eat and the marvellous veggie/vegan establishments.  None of them ban sugar, they just use it sparingly and or offer a choice.  This will be like the low fat debacle very soon.  It's only recently you've been able to get a salad that isn't full of chemically manipulated low fat dressing which for those of us who prefer actual food is a blessed relief, and don't get me started on the cult of low fat yoghurt.  This rant is coming from the fingers of someone who is already committed to a lower sugar lifestyle btw, I gave up the white stuff many years ago and prefer to use things that have nutritional value to add sweetness to baking and the like.  They're making me want to nose dive into a vat of sugar and lick it up. they want to know if they should practice what they preach? No you should get down off your high horse and stop preaching, there's the key, just stop it and think for a second, stop the lazy let's tax everything nonsense and invest some time and energy into something useful.


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## trophywench (Nov 10, 2016)

LOL Kooky - we do still buy sugar since both of our adult daughters and their families still take it in drinks.  How bloody mean it would be, not to have it available for anyone else?  However, I think the price usually appears to have doubled every time we buy a bag, it's been so long since we last bought it !  LOL


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## Northerner (Nov 10, 2016)

trophywench said:


> LOL Kooky - we do still buy sugar since both of our adult daughters and their families still take it in drinks.  How bloody mean it would be, not to have it available for anyone else?  However, I think the price usually appears to have doubled every time we buy a bag, it's been so long since we last bought it !  LOL


Does your current bag look like this Jenny?


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## trophywench (Nov 10, 2016)

Don't be so rude about my age  - my granny used that bag the year before I popped out!


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## trophywench (Nov 10, 2016)

Actually - they were dark blue, in the 50s weren't they?  Not white.


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## grovesy (Nov 10, 2016)

Yes sugar came in blue bags! Butter and cheese sold off a slab!


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## Northerner (Nov 10, 2016)

grovesy said:


> Yes sugar came in blue bags! Butter and cheese sold off a slab!


Hehe! I'm too young to remember blue bags  Was it like this?


 

I have got some caster sugar in the cupboard that is probably about 10 years old - I used it in baking a couple of years before I was diagnosed


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## grovesy (Nov 10, 2016)

Ones I remember were just plain blue!


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