John Carvel, social affairs editor 

Wide dissatisfaction with NHS hospital food

· Survey shows patients are denied choice and quality· Health minister urged to 'do a Jamie Oliver'
  
  


NHS hospitals are slowing patients' recovery by serving meals that are tepid, unappetising or downright inedible, a survey of catering at 97 health trusts reveals today.

It found 40% of patients were having their meals supplemented by food brought in by relatives and friends. More than a third of patients (37%) reported leaving a meal uneaten because it looked, smelled or tasted disgusting.

More than a fifth of patients said hospital meals were either too hot or too cold. A quarter of infirm patients, who needed help with eating, did not get it. And there was frequent criticism of lack of choice on the menu. Four-fifths of patients were not given the opportunity to choose meals in advance, and 18% said the dish of the day they liked sometimes ran out before the trolley reached their bedside.

The research was conducted by patient forums - official bodies set up by the government to represent the interests of NHS users. They interviewed a sample of 2,240 patients in hospitals across England and discovered widespread dissatisfaction.

Among long-term patients, 37% said menus were changed on a daily basis and 22% said they were changed weekly, but 13% said they were changed less often.

The Food Watch survey was co-ordinated by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, the forums' national umbrella body. Sharon Grant, chairwoman, said: "Proper nutrition is essential to recovery. Food should be of good quality and enjoyable - if it's not, it won't be eaten, and this seems to be borne out by our findings."

The commission said the government launched a "better hospital food programme" in 2001, but disbanded it this year after spending £40m on investment in catering facilities. Ms Grant appealed to Patricia Hewitt, health secretary, to respond to "do for hospital food what Jamie Oliver did for school meals".

The forums' findings contrasted with evidence in the annual report of the health inspectorate, suggesting 96% of trusts met national standards on food. But last night Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said standards did not provide adequate protection.

Andy Burnham, health minister, said hospital food was much better than it used to be. "Last year, the independent Patient Environment Action Teams found that 90% of hospitals were rated 'good' or 'excellent' for food standards, compared with 17% in 2002. But we recognise that more needs to be done."

 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*