Patients' fury over hospital food (AUDIO)
TEN patients have lodged formal complaints about the food at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire since meals started being delivered from South Wales.
They have complained about 'dried-up, cold and tasteless' food since supplier Sodexo took over the hospital's catering contract 10 weeks ago.
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COMPLAINTS: Helena and Fred Arnold. Picture: Shaun Smith
Some patients have even sent relatives out for fast food including fish and chips and a McDonald's meal because they were so hungry.
Now patients are to be given food questionnaires to try to overcome problems.
More than 1,400 meals are served at the hospital every day with the food driven to Hartshill from South Wales.
But union leaders presented hospital managers with a dossier of complaints within days of the contract starting.
Diabetic Helena Arnold, from Tunstall, who has just come out of hospital after 10 weeks, sent her husband Fred to Milehouse Fish Bar for a fish supper.
She said: "My sister and husband used to bring food in. They went out and fetched fish and chips for me and brought in salads, fruit, prawn sandwiches and ham sandwiches.
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"I complained about the food and the staff knew there were problems."
Fellow patient Keith Owen, aged 61, from Sneyd Green, discharged himself after complaining about the food.
The former trucker said: "How can you have fresh food travelling all that way?
"I was a wagon driver all my life and know what it entails and it is totally stupid to have all those wagon loads travelling up."
Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley has already received a handful of complaints about the food and is urging other patients to follow suit.
She said: "It's important people have confidence in this company, so I am urging them to log their complaints formally so there can be a full investigation."
Sodexo officials today confirmed they took the complaints very seriously.
A spokesman said: "We are very sorry to learn some patients were not happy with the food.
"When we took over the contract in mid-August, there were some bedding in problems.
"However, we have worked closely with the trust to rectify these and the number of complaints has declined every month.
"We will continue to work closely with the trust staff at ward level to ensure the service is improved further."
Patients urged to lodge complaints: Page 6
17 Comments
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by In the know, Newcastle
Wednesday, February 04 2009, 10:02PM
“Not quite sure why no-ones checked this before, but as I understand it, the lorries going up and down the road are bringing frozen meals that are kept in stock for a couple of days before being used. No different to a Tescos home delivery and no different to what the service has been for years....the only difference was it used to be made on site before it was frozen!!
So delays on meals getting to the ward are down to hospital and sodexo procedures...not the reliance on a lorry journey from wales. As to why it sometimes tastes orrible....check how long it's been waiting within the hospital!!!”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Thursday, November 13 2008, 4:59PM
“Look out Sodexo, I'll be going back in just after xmas or the new year for a few days in think and by the roast, if its not up to sandard then, I'll let you know, and very stongly indeed.”
by Equipdoc, NEWCASTLE
Thursday, November 13 2008, 1:53PM
“I spent 10 days in hospital recently. the food wasn't that bad. there was a reasonable variety, fruit was always on the menu. out of all the meals I had, there was only 1 which wasn't up to scratch. I agree though it should not be transported all that way every day.”
by michael weaver, chell
Thursday, November 13 2008, 11:18AM
“is this -SODEXHO-see corporate watch on internet for a real eye opener if its the same company-phew”
by stig, the dump
Wednesday, November 12 2008, 6:02PM
“sodexo food is disgusting, they are frozen foods put on a plate and then warmed, very watery, the rice pudding always explodes and is dried to bowl, sandwiches have the butter sprayed on the bread, the food is not good quality the services are not up to scratch as they always get orders wrong no matter how much staff ensure menus are filled in correctly like the modern matron wants them to, The food is being so bad patients are going on hunger strike which is detrimental to their health, also the contract is with sodexo is for a number of years there must be a get out clause as they are not keeping to the requirements of their contract, GET RID OF SODEXO-”
by South Stoke, South Stoke
Wednesday, November 12 2008, 4:46PM
“I'm sure Gordon Ramsey would be happy with these statistics. 10 complaints when 1400 meals a day are served. I'd say that wasn't too bad.”
by Pam, hanley
Wednesday, November 12 2008, 4:37PM
“the food is appalling, how can people get well when they dont get proper nutrution. i was in hospital some time ago, couldnt swallow the nurses asked them to puree the food for me, thinking we would get pureed pots, pureed veg, and pureed meat, what they dish up looked disgusting, they pureed together pots , peas and steak pie it look and tasted foul in 4weeks in hospital i lost 4 stone”
by H, Burslem
Wednesday, November 12 2008, 1:15PM
“I spent a few hours in AAU a few weeks ago. At lunch time the lunch cart came round with tea/coffee and sandwiches. They were not going to give me anything at first until I pointed out I was 33 weeks pregnant and had had nothing since breakfast! The sandwich was just two pieces of bread with some cheese slapped between them!
I do not expect Hotel quality food, but how can you expect people to get better with rubbish food?
If you give people reasonable, good quality food their health will improve quicker and get them out of hospital. This will also help ease the pressure on A&E.”
by patrick, stoke on trent
Wednesday, November 12 2008, 12:52PM
“money is being diverted to treat all the extra hangers on from europe and elsewhere. so, its no wonder that some survice's suffer.”
by matt, butt lane
Wednesday, November 12 2008, 12:38PM
“Stop whining, you are being cared for in a hospital, whne there are people all over the world who dont have any medical care, 14,000 meals a day, lets see how your orchestrate it better, probably comes from sodexo coz its cheap, because our country is in recession, younot having the tastyest food in the world isnt that highest priority right now , how about, expensive operations, medical equipment, staff training, the new hospital that is being built, money has to be allocated to where its needed most, and aslong as the patients receive food which will help them get better, i fail to see how its taste it of the utmost importance, people in places all over the world sometimes eat the same thing everyday that is not that tasty at all, my cousin is doing charity work in ghana at the moment and she tells us that these people are happy aslong as the are sustained, anything else is a bonus, stop moaning there are real issues that need to be adressed, and before anyone says, yes i have spent time in hospital and no it wasnt one day!”