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Hospital food in Medway is the second worst in the country, according to new statistics.
Figures released by the Care Quality Commission revealed that more than half of patients at Medway Maritime Hospital are dissatisfied with its food – despite Medway NHS Foundation Trust spending more than the national average on meals.
Only four out of every 10 patients asked said the food was ‘good’, ranking it the second lowest out of 156 other NHS Trusts.
The lowest was Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where 3.8 out of every 10 patients said the food was good.
It comes after the hospital staff gave itself a three out of five star-rating to its food quality in the latest Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) assessment.
Food at the hospital is provided by NHS caterers, which is delivered to the hospital in Windmill Road, Gillingham.
“It is time for the Government to come clean about the sorry state of hospital food" - Alex Jackson, campaign co-ordinator
It costs £9.26 to feed a patient per day, compared with the national average of £8.60. In total 5% of meals are wasted even before they reach the patient.
The discovery has led to renewed calls from The Campaign for Better Hospital Food for the government to introduce mandatory hospital food standards similar to those that already exist for prison food.
Alex Jackson, co-ordinator of the campaign, said: “It is time for the Government to come clean about the sorry state of hospital food in England and set mandatory standards for patient meals.
“This would only involve extending an existing policy which has seen it set mandatory standards for prison food and food served in government departments, to go alongside those that already exist for school food.
"Surely patients recovering in hospital have the same right to good food as government Ministers, school kids and prisoners?”
