Revealed: NHS hospitals are spending less than £5 on meals every day

A new study has revealed how hospitals are spending as little as £3 every day on food for patients, despite a rise in malnutrition cases.

New data reveals that 13 trusts are spending less than £5 on food every day – with the lowest being £2.61 at Gloucester Royal Hospital.

The new revelation comes after Labour recently pledged to introduce a new legal minimum on the standard for hospital food, in order to ensure that hospital patients received better care.

The figures also show that the amount of people suffering from malnutrition has doubled since 2009/10 – with 8458 malnutrition cases being recognised in 2016/17.

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When broken down, the new analysis of official hospital food data shows £560 million was pent on 144 million inpatient main meals in 2016/17 – an average of £3.68 per meal.

Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth, who uncovered the statistics, said: “Patient care isn’t just about medicines, bandages, treatments and surgical procedures, it’s about nutrition and hydration as well.”

Food writer and Bake-Off judge Prue Leith, an ambassador for Labour’s new campaign, said: ‘Finally, a major political party is waking up to the issue of hospital food. For the sake of patients’ recovery and for their enjoyment, let’s hope the government follows suit and commits to better food in our hospitals.’

A Department of Health spokesperson said: ‘Whilst food in hospitals is given a rating of 9 out of 10 by patients, we know nutrition is a vital part of recovery.

‘That’s why we have already introduced the first ever legally-binding food standards in the history of the NHS, and continue to press for high standards.’