NHS Doctors back Veganuary: Leading medics urge colleagues to support Veganuary to benefit patient, planetary and budget health
Date: 28 October 2026
A growing coalition of NHS doctors is throwing its weight behind Veganuary, using World Vegan Day, 1st November, to call on fellow healthcare professionals across the UK to adopt a plant-based diet for the month of January and beyond.
By leading by example, these doctors hope to spark vital conversations in their clinics and hospital wards nationwide about the preventative power of food.
The initiative aims not only to champion personal health and wellness among clinical staff, but also to spotlight the profound clinical benefits that whole-food, plant-based nutrition can offer patients managing chronic conditions. In addition, shifting to plant-rich diets can support the NHS to meet its sustainability target and simultaneously ease mounting financial pressures on NHS budgets.
Robust clinical evidence demonstrates that plant-based diets can prevent, treat, and—in some cases—reverse chronic lifestyle-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Key health impacts include:
- Coronary heart disease risk reduced by 25%
- Cancer risk lowered by around 15%
- Type 2 diabetes risk cut by at least 50%
- Aided maintenance of a healthy weight throughout life
Dr Shireen Kassam, Founder of Plant-Based Healthcare Professionals UK, Consultant Haematologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at King’s College Hospital, London with a specialist interest in the treatment of lymphoma said: “As doctors, we spend the vast majority of our time treating the consequences of lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Prevention is always better than cure. By supporting Veganuary, we want to empower our colleagues to experience the incredible health benefits of plant-based eating firsthand, while sparking a wider conversation about the future of preventative healthcare in the NHS.”
The economic argument for plant-based interventions is equally compelling:
- Research shows that if the British population ate meat-free lunches on weekdays, improved health could save the NHS as much as £2.2 billion annually.
- Implementing meat-free defaults in public catering—a low-cost intervention—would save the NHS £74 million a year.1
Ben Day, NHS finance manager said: “We spend billions of pounds of NHS money every year treating preventable diseases and the consequences of poor diet and lifestyle. Supporting healthier plant-based eating doesn’t just mean better health and longer lives for individuals, it frees up vital NHS resources by avoiding future disease and reducing the need for long-term medication.”
Adopting a plant-based diet isn’t just a prescription for individual longevity and NHS budget relief; it is a critical step for planetary health. According to landmark research from the EAT-Lancet Commission, shifting toward plant-rich eating is one of the single most effective ways to lower carbon footprints, protect environmental resources, and secure a sustainable future for our healthcare infrastructure.
How NHS staff can get involved
Doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals can sign up for the official Veganuary campaign at Veganuary.com, gaining access to free guides for GP Practices and NHS trusts, celebrity-backed recipes, nutritional guides tailored for busy schedules, and peer support networks.
Additionally, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK are offering micro-grants to their members to help them run local Veganuary events.
Hannah Yates, Head of Communications at Veganuary, said: “It’s wonderful to have the support of doctors in advocating for plant-based diets within healthcare settings. We hear from countless participants who find that trying vegan has a positive effect on their health, such as more energy, better sleep, improved digestion and clearer skin. We hear this feedback so much, these positive effects have become known as ‘the big four.’
Notes for editors:
Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving human and planetary health through evidence-based whole-food plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine. By educating healthcare professionals and the public, it supports the prevention and management of chronic disease while recognising the interconnected health of people, animals, and the environment. PBHP UK has submitted health recipes to the NHS and have had 5 included on the NHS website
Tips for thriving on a plant-based diet
- About Veganuary: Veganuary is a non-profit organisation that encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. Established in 2014, millions of people have officially taken part from almost every country in the world.
- Plant-Based Health Professionals UK Media Contact:
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- Jane Tredgett, Communications Manager
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- jane@pbhp.uk