Disgusted patient lifts lid on tiny portions and 'horrible' food served in £430m hospital
Steven Williams, 29, was hospitalised for eight days after having an operation on his feet but was frequently left starving by tiny servings or stomach-churning dishes
A patient has exposed on the ‘horrible’ food and meagre half plate portions served up at a £430m hospital.
Steven Williams, 29, was hospitalised for eight days after having an operation on his feet but was frequently left starving by tiny servings or stomach-churning dishes.
The menu included a roast dinner which consisted of just one head of broccoli, two small pieces of cauliflower, two tiny new potatoes and fat-ridden slice of beef.
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Another dinner of chilli con carne filled just one half of a plate, with just two small spoonfuls of rice.
Steven, a retail photographer, said the meals would not be big enough for his two-year-old daughter and that a 'dog wouldn't eat what they were serving'.
He relied on food brought in by relatives and fears patients at Southmead Hospital in Bristol - which only opened three months ago - may not getting sufficient nutrition.
He said: 'It was shocking. It was just diabolical. In a way, it shouldn't have been sent from the kitchen.
'It wasn't great service. My family were bringing me food from home in a Tupperware.
'It was not great at all. To be quite honest, I think a dog wouldn't eat what they were serving.'
The new Southmead Hospital opened in May this year and the trust which runs it has invested heavily in the quality of its food.
Last year North Bristol NHS Trust became the first in the country to win a silver 'Food for Life' catering award from the Soil Association.
But Steven, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, says the standard of food during his stay between August 11 and 19 was poor.
He said: 'There was no balance in the food, especially in the calorie intake.
'There was no way we were getting what we needed. There was even a member of staff who said they were concerned.
'The portions were so tiny. I have a two year old girl and she would eat more than that.
'The worst meal I got was the Sunday roast. The meat was fatty and chewy and it tasted like tinned potatoes.
'I ordered some cheese and biscuits one night. There were just two crackers and a travel pack of cheese. I just had these two crackers with a tiny bit of cheese between them.
'One meal tasted like they have tipped a whole tin of seasoning on.'
Steven also said there was little choice.
He explained: 'One night there was jacket potato with pasta. I asked for beans or cheese instead but that's all they had.
‘They don't cater for everyone. That's how I ended up with a cheese sandwich one night. If you don't like the second choice you are left with a sandwich.
'I have to go back to have plaster removed. Hopefully I won't have to stay though and if so I'll take my own food.'
Simon Wood, Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Planning for North Bristol NHS Trust, said: 'We would not recognise this as the portion size we would expect.
'It's disappointing we weren't able to address that with the patient whilst they were here, because we absolutely would have wanted to do that.
'The catering department spent a lot of time on very high quality ingredients and getting the service right.
'The most important thing is that the patient is getting the right nutrition and of course you have to have the right portion size for that.'
