17th Dec 2007 - 00:00
Abstract
A Which? Survey showing one in three hospital patients is unhappy with the quality of food they receive, is to be urgently assessed by the Hospital Caterers' Association.
Chairman Neil Watson-Jones when contacted by CSC had not seen full details of the survey among 1000 patients, but said: "This is a small number compared with the overall figures served by HCA and initially we would want to see who took part in the research and where they are based." "Generally our findings are that food has improved in recent years and this is not just from the quality aspect but right across the supply chain. But at the end of the day patients have a choice as to what they choose." The Which? survey showed that a quarter of patients questioned said they had to rely on relatives to bring them "something edible." But Watson-Jones said that many people had always done this but not because of dissatisfaction with the food on offer. Patients described hot food still frozen in the middle or completely congealed and stuck to the plate. The consumer charity also surveyed 250 staff members with 21 % admitting they would be unhappy to eat the food served daily to patients. The Government said it expected health trusts to meet guidelines on NHS nutritional standards.