Following the report ‘Food in Hospitals’ published in June 2008 the Scottish Government went to tender for the design of a web-based nutritional database and provision of menu planning and recipe analysis software to enable hospital caterers to meet the  new nutrient specifications for 18 nutrients plus fluid.

The contract was awarded in March 2010, piloted in June, and rolled out to all Health Boards in August a month ahead of schedule. The 16 Health Boards share the recipe database and can add their own recipes.

The program can be used for special diets as well as general ward meal analysis. As with all Nutmeg programs, the hospital program will identify problem dishes and recommend substitutes from the database.