57% of patients rate hospital food as “very good”

14th May 2009, 11:04am

According to a new survey, there has been a vast improvement in how patients rate hospital food, with 57% of patients ranking the food as "very good" (21%) or "good" (36%), up from 53% in 2002.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the new health and social care regulator, carried out a survey by 165 acute and specialist NHS trusts in England. Participating were over 72,000 people who stayed at least one night in a hospital during summer 2008. The survey is co-ordinated by the Picker Institute.

Further research found that in 2008, a further 30% rated the food as "fair, however 14% said it was "poor".

Meanwhile of those patients who said they needed it (30%), 18% said they did not get enough help from staff to eat their meals. This is an improvement since 2007 when 20% said they did not get enough help, but no change from 2002 (18%).

Cynthia Bower, CQC chief executive, said: "Patients are clearly highlighting some persistent problems, in particular in some of the basics of care such as help with eating and involvement in decisions.

"It is a great shame that the NHS has not managed to get a stronger grip on these issues when patients have been highlighting them for so long.  As the regulator, we will be doing more to ensure people's views have more clout."

Related Articles:

• 04 Jan 2010 - Government wastes over £50m on hospital food failure, says report
• 17 Sep 2009 - The RUH Bath increases sustainable produce on menus
• 01 Sep 2009 - Prison meals are better than hospital food
• 12 Aug 2009 - Eating well is on the menu at RIE
• 25 Sep 2008 - Healthy eating on the menu for hospital staff
• 15 Jul 2008 - Hospital food rated excellent by watchdog
• 14 Jul 2008 - Hospital food is improving
• 14 May 2008 - Patients rate food as "very good" in NHS hospitals

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