11.01.12
Hospital spending on meals criticised
Some hospitals are feeding patients on as little as 90p per meal, statistics compiled by the NHS Information Centre show. At least 30 trusts spend less than £5 a day on all meals and drinks for each person in their care.
These figures come amidst allegations that nutritional standards are slipping in the health service, and the serious consequences this could have for patients. Around 200,000 NHS in-patients are discharged each year suffering from malnutrition.
There is a huge disparity in the amount spent on food and drink, the NHS Information Centre found. Harrow in north-westLondonspent £2.75 for each patient each day, compared with Wiltshire primary care trust, which spent £22.31.
Katherine Murphy of the Patients Association said: “Sadly, catering is not seen as a priority by the NHS, but it’s a false economy. It’s vitally important that people in hospital get a balanced diet – otherwise they will have only to stay in hospital longer.
“It’s no surprise that so many people complain about the quality of the food and say they are not able to eat. Patients don’t expect restaurant-quality meals, but they do expect and deserve decent and nutritious food.”
Health minister Simon Burns said: “All patients deserve basic standards of care when they are in hospital and good food is one of them. We have set binding standards for good hydration and nutrition as part of a hospital’s registration with the regulator.
“The amount of money hospitals are spending on food has gone up over the past five years, and waste is going down, but this rise in the amount spent on food does not necessarily mean better food for patients.
“Many trusts have excellent food and are serving healthy, fresh meals to their patients whilst staying within budget. These trusts set a precedent for others to follow and the whole NHS should be learning from the best trusts.”
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