Hospital bosses who found themselves at the centre of a storm today after banning the sale of chocolate and sweets in NHS staff canteens have hit back at their critics.

The chocolate and sweet ban, which applies to three community hospitals and the headquarters of Barnsley primary care trust in South Yorkshire, was introduced as part of a local wider campaign to promote healthy lifestyles, said the PCT’s director of public health, Dr Paul Redgrave.

Well let’s just hope that this doesn’t roll out nationally: Our medical school runs on a constant supply of chocolate and coffee – if the chocolate’s taken away, then things will grind to a halt! I don’t think I’ve sat in a lecture for a long time now when I’ve now been offered a chocolate button or the like. I expect this will only get more prevalent as I move into hospitals, and people really get the munchies.