Patients ‘unhappy’ with hospital food

A survey of staff and patients published by a consumer magazine has revealed widespread discontent with the quality of food available in NHS hospitals.

The questionnaire from Which? found that a third of patients are not happy with the quality of food they receive, with a quarter of patients relying on friends and family to bring their own food into hospital.

Some patients reportedly lost weight, while one reported being served “cold pork that was 50 per cent fat and tough as leather”.

The survey involved 1,000 patients who have spent at least one night in hospital over the last year, in addition to 250 members of staff.

Claire Corbett, a health campaigner at Which? said: “Patients with serious concerns don’t speak out because they don’t think it’ll change anything, or they’re afraid it might compromise their care.”

She added that research had shown evidence of an ongoing dissatisfaction with hospital food and questioned why standards had not risen.

In May 2001, the government launched the Better Hospital Food Programme to make changes to hospital food services nationwide.

The stated aims of the project were the production of a comprehensive range of recipes for NHS hospitals, a redesign of hospital menus to increase accessibility, the introduction of 24-hour catering and the availability of hot food at midday and early evening mealtimes.