Improvements In The Standard Of Hospital Catering

The cost and overall quality of hospital food as hit the headline recently after the consumer magazine “which?” had launched a campaign.

Following the campaign, Prince Charles urged hospital catering departments to purchase local and freshly made produce on the back of claims that food-related illness has cost the NHS six billion pounds in 2002.

One hospital that has followed Prince Charles’ wishes is Maidstone Hospital.  The NHS Trust in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells spends around £2.35 on a patient every day, providing three meals as well as essentials like tea, coffee and milk.

Despite the small budget, the patients get a choice of breakfast’s meals, a warm or hot lunch and a similar selection for dinner.  The lunch and evening meal also comes complete with a dessert!

Despite the fact that the neighbouring East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust spends £3.09 on patients, those in the Maidstone hospital don’t think they are any worse off.

Lunch is said to cost around £1 day, with supper costing roughly 80 pence.  The hospital encourages comments, in which Patricia Demian of the NHS trust was pleased to say had “very few formal complaints”.

The hot meals are cooked from raw ingredients and salads are prepared in the hospitals premises.

This good news for hospital catering and many are hoped and expected to follow suit.