News from Southampton Labour

Denham demands action on Southampton General’s catering

Local MP responds To patients’ concerns about catering inadequacy.

Patients at Southampton General Hospital are voicing their concerns following a change to catering arrangements earlier this month. According to current patients the new contractor – Medirest – is unable to provide meals at regular times, serving different meals to what the patients have ordered, producing food to a sub-standard level and refusing to respond to their concerns.

Comments from patients from the hospital include:
* “it is a lottery as to when meals arrive”;
* “special dietary needs are neglected”;
* “we should be provided with five hot drinks per day from them, most days we only get one”; and
* “most meals are swimming in gravy or sauce because they need the moisture if they’re going to be reheated, but this means all the meals taste the same.”

Southampton Itchen MP John Denham is demanding an urgent investigation into the catering regime at Southampton General Hospital after several current patients asked him to look into the matter.

Mr Denham said: “It is not good enough that patients are not being provided with adequate food and drink. It’s obvious that these people are ill, so providing them with good quality, nutritious meals is an essential step on getting them back to health. I will be making sure the patients who feel they’re not being properly provided for get the response they want.”

Other news from Southampton Labour

• We must keep investing to help everyone back into work – Labour MPs - 10 March 2010
• Alan Whitehead MP calls for support for hardworking carers - 8 March 2010
• Whitehead pledges to continue the fight against fuel poverty - 8 March 2010