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.

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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Audio: Helena Arnold speaks about her experience of food served at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire

"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