17 December 2007
The poor quality of food will be cold comfort for patients spending this Christmas in hospital, shows new Which? research.
A survey by the consumer charity shows that one in three in-patients (32 per cent) were unhappy with the quality of the food they were served recently in hospital. It was described by one patient as ‘repulsive’.
Even the staff serving it seem to agree, with one in five (21 per cent) admitting they’d be unhappy to eat the food served to patients each day.
A quarter of patients surveyed (25 per cent) said the food was so bad they had to buy their own or ask friends and family to bring in meals for them*. Over a quarter (27 per cent) found the portions too small; a third (34 per cent) didn’t like the type of food provided and almost two fifths (38 per cent) didn’t feel meal times matched when they were able, or wanted, to eat**.
Clare Corbett, health campaigner at Which? says:
“Our research provides yet more evidence that patients and NHS staff are unhappy with hospital food. So why isn’t it getting any better?
“It would seem silence is anything but golden when it comes to hospital care. 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.
“To put a stop to the hunger on our wards, hospitals must do more to encourage patients to give feedback, and act on what they say.”
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The full Impatient for Change Hospital Food Briefing is available on request, please contact Kate Turnbull on 0207 770 7582
*Which? has heard of a hospital staff member unaware of egg products in food such as quiche and pasta when caring for a patient with an egg allergy.
**Which? has heard of a patient with tonsillitis and an abscess who was offered pie and chips when they were struggling to even drink.
Issues concerning hospital food are nothing new, but year on year, little has been achieved in addressing this problem. Which? attributes this to the current feedback deadlock between the NHS and its patients, where both sides are aware of problems but are either too apprehensive to speak up or feel that nothing could be achieved even if they do.
Which? is calling for a drastic improvement in customer service in NHS hospitals, believing is essential that hospitals do more to encourage patients to give feedback on their service and to act on what they say. Which? wants patients’ views to count. To find out more, visit www.which.co.uk/impatientforchange
Which? has produced a special guide for patients to provide important information about what to expect while in hospital care. The Hospital Companion is available to download online at the website address above.
Which? interviewed 1000 patients online during August 2007. All respondents to the survey had spent at least one night in hospital in the last 12 months.
Which? interviewed 250 hospital staff (including mixed speciality doctors, nurses, caterers, porters and receptionists) during August and September 2007.
