Don’t go hungry in hospital

Serious concerns have been raised about the way some NHS hospitals treat elderly people.

The Care Quality Commission is inspecting 100 hospitals in England and reports from the first 12 have just been published

They found that meals were served and taken to the bedside of people who were asleep or not sitting in the right position to enable them to eat their meal. Hot dinners and puddings were left for 15 minutes to go cold before staff found time to assist patients.

Doctors said they sometimes had to prescribe drinking water on medication charts to "ensure people get regular drinks".

While many patients got help with eating, some did not and had their trays taken away. Staff rarely asked patients if they had enough to drink.

Food and fluid charts were often "inaccurate, not completed and not up-to-date", inspectors found.



If you eat well in hospital you are more likely to recover from illness quickly and go home sooner.

Unfortunately, as an older patient, you are at the greatest risk of becoming malnourished during your stay. Older patients often report that they don’t get help or encouragement to eat and drink when needed and that meals are placed out of reach or that the food served is inappropriate.

You can help to avoid this by telling the ward staff early on what your needs are and alerting them to any problems during your stay. It is your right to have a choice of food that is appropriate for

you, and any help you need to eat it.

You can also ask someone - like a relative or friend - to act on your behalf.

Ask for help during mealtimes; the ward staff are there to help, so don’t be afraid to ask them for it.

Let them know if you need help with eating or drinking, can’t reach your meal or have difficulty chewing or swallowing

Tell them if you find the menu options unsuitable because of your personal taste, special diet or religious beliefs . Ask if you need help filling in the menu or identifying different foods on your plate. If you have missed a meal, or received the wrong one then ask for a  replacement.

Make eating easier for yourself. Let the ward staff know if there is anything that will help you to eat, for example sitting in a chair, or upright in bed, using special eating utensils or adopting a puréed diet rather than solids.

You can ask for light snacks throughout the day. These are especially important if you have askedfor smaller main meals. Your visitors might bring you snacks and drinks. Ask the ward staff what’s allowed, and where they can be stored.

Don’t forgot to drink regularly; aim for 8 glasses of water or equivalent, each day.



It's a stressful time being admitted to hospital, patients don't feel up to or don't always want their relatives making a fuss.

We must ensure that essential standards of care and dignity are met whatever the consequences.