Patients have given hospital chefs the thumbs up for their top nosh.

Hospital food doesn’t usually tickle the tastebuds but, in a surprise result, the quality of meals at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital has been praised.

Patient watchdog Healthwatch Kirklees surveyed the two hospitals in May to ask patients what they thought about the food they were given during their stay.

And they found people were more than happy with the grub dished up by staff at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.

Healthwatch Kirklees director Rory Deighton said: “If we are honest I am not sure that we were expecting such positive comments from patients.

“Hospital food has a poor reputation, and it was interesting to see that actually, patients were happy with the food that they were served.”

He added: “It’s not perfect, and working in partnership with the hospitals we are agreeing a plan to improve the quality of food that they serve to patients.

Health Watch Kirklees Director Rory Deighton
Health Watch Kirklees Director Rory Deighton

“We’ll be looking at improving temperature, choice and ways of ensuring that patients are able to order food that they like and will eat.

“It’s been great to see how open and responsive the Trust has been to what patients have said, and how committed they are to responding to patient comments.”

Alison Wilson, head of quality and performance at the Trust, said: “We welcome the work that Healthwatch has done in genuine partnership with the Trust in this area.

“We recognise many of the comments patients have made and are committed to understanding what patients want, and how we can improve their experience over the next 12 months.”

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