Research led by the University of Westminster’s Food Public Health and Nutrition research group, which explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public health nutrition services in England, has found that the pandemic has pushed the poorest into further poverty and food insecurity. Experts argue that a more effective strategy is urgently needed to address the ongoing hunger crisis.
As England plans its post-pandemic recovery, the lack of adequate investment in public health nutrition (PHN) services and the impact of the growing dependency on non-formal services are concerning. New research led by Dr Regina Keith, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the Global Public Health Nutrition MSc, in collaboration with the Future of Public Health Nutrition group, will the use the lessons learned from the research to inform post-pandemic policy and practice in England. The research will also inform future research to gain a deeper insight into the negative impact food insecurity is having on the most vulnerable families in England.
The report, which was published in the World Nutrition Journal, advocates for the UK government to expand the new UK food strategy to include a more robust solution to UK hunger in the poorest families. The researchers interviewed 89 participants working in the PHN system in England, between 2010 and 2020, using an online survey to capture their experiences. Three main themes emerged, including the negative impact of austerity, the challenges facing PHN service providers and possible strategic solutions which could be supported by the government as part of their post pandemic response plans.
Austerity was found to have reduced the capacity of PHN services, resulting in an increased reliance on voluntary community services to meet the increased demand due to COVID-related food insecurity. Participants also highlighted capacity and capability issues within the PHN system, with geographical variations in service delivery and a lack of connectivity between central and local governments and third sector providers being key issues. This has resulted in a post code lottery with service providers lacking adequate technical and financial resources to provide the PHN support required.
To eradicate these issues, PHN workers expressed an overwhelming need for a clear national recovery plan, setting out a comprehensive and fully-supported national strategy to eradicate food insecurity in England, based on right to food principles. Examples identified to achieve this included increasing social and economic support to address food poverty, including free school meals for more children, and investing in community kitchen and garden programmes.
Talking about the findings, Lead Researcher Regina Keith said: “This research indicates that the present government plans to halt the £20 top up to the universal credit will result in more families being pushed into food poverty, at a time when they require more, not less support.”
Further in-depth research is needed to continue to track the impact of recovery strategies on food insecure people and the capacity of the PHN system. The Future of Public Health Nutrition research team is seeking urgent investment in the capacity and coordination of PHN services to support food insecure people in England, such as including the ratification of the right to food in national laws, in line with global commitments already agreed to by the UK State Party.
Read the full report in the World Nutrition Journal.
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