NHS England consults on hospital sugar tax

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

The consultation is set to run until 18 January 2017 and if passed, England will become the first county in the world take action. The tax would affect any drinks with added sugar, including fruit juices, sweetened milk-based drinks and sweetened coffees.

It has been calculated that a 20 per cent tax on sugary drinks could raise around £20-40 million a year. The savings generated will be used to fund patient charities and ‘health and wellbeing programmes’ to help keep the NHS's 1.3 million employees fit.

While many health charities have welcomed the idea, there have also been critics of the proposal.

Gavin Partington, of the British Soft Drinks Association, argued: "It's hard to see how a ban on soft drinks can be justified given that the sector has led the way in reducing consumers' sugar intake - down by over 17 per cent since 2012.

"In 2015 we also became the only category to set a calorie reduction target of 20 per cent by 2020.

"Given that the government is looking to introduce a soft drinks tax in 2018 it seems slightly odd that another public body wishes to duplicate this process.”

Simon Stevens, chief executive for NHS England, said: "Confronted by rising obesity, type-2 diabetes and child dental decay, it's time for the NHS to practice what we preach.

"By ploughing the proceeds of any vendor fees back into staff health and patient charities these proposals are a genuine win-win opportunity to both improve health and cut future illness cost burdens for the NHS."