The most popular food served at East Lancashire hospitals

New data has shown that wild venison dishes have become the most popular among patients at East Lancashire Hospital Trust, which operates Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital.

Forestry England and the East Lancashire Hospital Trust (ELHT) have been working together to put more than 600kg of wild venison from the nearby Forest of Bowland on East Lancashire Hospital Trust’s menus since April 2021, with ELHT’s award-winning catering team creating delectable dishes which have quickly ranked as favourites among hospital staff and patients alike.

Since venison dishes came on the menu they have become the most chosen items on the days they were available.

In December, the Trust’s venison and winter vegetable pie and Lancashire venison and mash casserole dishes regularly accounted for 33 to 50 per cent of patient meal choices.

The trust serves meals to patients and staff in five hospitals across the region.

For ELHT’s Facilities Manager Tim Radcliffe, wild venison ticks all the boxes of the trust’s goals from sustainability to health.

He said: “We want to give patients and staff the very best food we can.

“As meats go, venison is low in fat and has good nutrients to aid recovery and promote good patient health.

“If you can buy a high quality, sustainable ingredients that has been sourced from within 20 miles, why would you ever consider importing meat?

“Working with Forestry England we can get venison sourced straight from the Forest of Bowland so it could not get any more local.”

Venison casserole is just one dish served at East Lancashire Hospitals

In addition to great taste, wild venison is arguably the UK’s most sustainable meat.

Forestry England’s venison is 100% wild, lead-free and from well managed forests.

Deer populations across the UK have skyrocketed in recent years because they have no natural predators.

This has resulted in devastating effects on the environment as deer forage on plants and shrubs that form habitats for other, rarer species, and damage young trees as they grow.

Forestry England, which manages England’s 1,500 forests and woodlands, culls deer as part of its sustainable forest management programme.

“Encouraging more people to eat wild venison is better for biodiversity and helps protect our future forests”, said Forestry England’s Lead Wildlife Manager, Nigel Foster.

“Our main objective for culling is always forest management, rather than wild meat production. With more people becoming aware of the carbon footprint of farmed meat and indeed the challenges around intensively farmed animals, wild venison is a perfect solution for those wanting to eat less but better meat.”

East Lancashire hospital catering staff are renowned for their culinary expertise.

The trust is one of only eight nationally to have joined the NHS Exemplary Trusts Programme and Hospital Food Network.  

It was chosen for their innovation, high food standards and consistent service providing food for patients, staff and visitors across the hospital sites.

• READ MORE: Blackburn hospital chefs crowned NHS Chefs of the Year

Last November, two Blackburn hospital chefs were crowned National NHS Chef of the Year.

Sanish Thomas and Sinto Mulavarickal scooped first place in the final by wowing judges with a delicious four-course menu.

Judge, Prue Leith was shocked when she was informed that venison was on the menu.