How Worthing Hospital planned to cut costs on food

Hospital catering staff said they were "up in arms" about it and the change to patient menus, meaning hot meals are only served at lunchtime, with dinner consisting of just soup and sandwiches.

It was said the move came as a result of a patient feedback survey, but the Herald has seen a document from 2008, showing the hospital wanted to save 1.50 per patient on daily food costs.

This comes just six months after it was learned the hospital paid three members of temporary staff between 883 and 1,000 each per day of work.

Click here to read the Herald's exclusive story from September 2008.

Bring in takeaway

The daily food budget for patients is just 7.

According to a member of the catering team, who asked not to be named, the menu saving has resulted in many patients' families bringing in additional food for them, including McDonald's takeaways.

He said: "The hospital said the changes were because of patient feedback, but it's not, it's a cost-cutting exercise.

"We were told about it in December, and we said then it wouldn't work. We're up in arms about it.

"As soon as the evening meals go out, people start ringing down to the kitchen asking for hot food, and the phones don't stop. We just have to tell them no."

Poor quality

The staff member voiced concerns about the quality of the food, describing the soup as "sludge".

He said none of the food was fresh, including vegetables which were all frozen, and most things came pre-cooked.

And at the end of the night, the worker said the catering team was throwing away up to 100 sandwiches, worth 60p each.

Meanwhile, patient Bob Simmons, 75, of Rowlands Road, Worthing, claims there is another problem with the hospital meals.

He said even when hot meals are served at lunchtime, they are cold.

He said he had been told by the catering manager that heated trollies the hospital has are not being used, as there is nowhere to plug them in.

Money saved

A hospital spokeswoman said: "Financial saving was a contributory factor to moving to a light evening meal.

"However, it needs to be stressed the evening supper is high in calorific content, similar to the meal provided at lunch.

"This change has resulted in savings of around 50,000 a year."

The spokeswoman said the heated trolley issue was being investigated as a matter of urgency.

Click here to read the Herald's story about the policy change with the results of the reader's poll.

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