Scottish hospitals food spend questioned

Figures obtained by BBC Scotland have shown that some Scottish hospitals are spending just 94p per patient meal, highlighting a possible sacrifice in quality.

The figures, which showed spending on food and drink per patient, highlighted how Borders hospitals spent £3.18 per day per patient on meals and snacks, with health boards NHS Ayrshire and Arran and Dumfries and Galloway spending similar amounts.

NHS Grampian spent £3.50 per day which it said broke down as 94p for each of the two main meals and £1.62 for snacks and drinks.

While there is no necessary distinction between the cheap price of food spend and quality of nutrition, some health and nutrition experts have claimed that there is always a ‘lower limit below which quality will be sacrificed in a variety of ways’.

The figures also highlighted how some hospitals were sourcing 50 per cent of their food from abroad, raising questions over why high quality, local food is being ignored.

Aileen Campbell, Public Health Minister, said: "We have a set of very rigorous nutritional guidelines that we expect all boards to adhere to. There will be differences in terms of price but we do expect that the nutritional guidelines will be adhered to."