Cancer-stricken patients fed chips and beans after hospital kitchen runs out of healthy food
Up to 70 patients were served the stodgy nosh when cooks couldn’t dish up more nutritious meals
CANCER sufferers were fed chips and beans after a hospital kitchen ran out of healthy food.
Up to 70 patients were served the stodgy nosh when cooks couldn’t dish up more nutritious meals.
NHS chiefs last night apologised for the blunder as they launched an investigation into the lack of grub at Edinburgh’s Western General.
One insider said: “When I heard what happened I thought it was a joke.
“Everybody was gobsmacked when the kitchen told them they’d ran out of food and could only offer chips and beans.
“It’s the sort of food kids eat and isn’t what should be served in hospitals.
“Patients should always be offered a variety of meals and they decide what they want to eat.
“Someone in the senior management team needs to put their hands up and take responsibility for this.”
It’s thought the supply issue last Tuesday hit six wards in the specialist unit which treats patients with various stages of cancer.
Shadow health secretary Donald Cameron yesterday blasted the failure, which saw salads removed from the menu along with steak pie, macaroni and roast beef.
The Tory MSP said: “This clearly falls well below the standards expected. Hospital food isn’t great at the best of times but for dozens of patients to be reduced to an option of chips and beans isn’t good enough.
“I hope the health board examines why this was allowed to happen.”
The blunder is the second food scandal to hit the hospital in just over a year.
Last April cockroaches, silverfish insects and dirty chopping boards were found in the kitchen in a random check by inspectors. Food Standards Scotland demanded improvements following the damning report.
Last night NHS Lothian’s George Curley said the matter was being “looked into”.
He added: “Some meals are occasionally not available but a different option is provided if patients are unhappy.
“We apologise to any who were not given an alternative on this occasion.”
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