British hospitals: filthy, verminous, appallingly unhygienic kitchens.

Scandal of filthy hospital kitchens - Observer

Extract:

"A searing indictment of the cleanliness of hospital kitchens is revealed today in research showing that almost half are plagued by vermin, risk infections by storing food incorrectly or employ staff with poor personal hygiene.

Official inspection reports reveal that breaches of food hygiene laws include infestations of mice and cockroaches, kitchen staff not washing their hands, food being kept at the wrong temperature and remnants of meals becoming stuck in equipment.

Other hazardous incidents included ice cream and prawns being stored together in fridges and freezers, orange juice kept next to chemicals and patients' meal trays being used to transport contaminated material from the wards.

The reality of the conditions in which hospital food is prepared is laid bare in a series of official hygiene examinations carried out by environmental health officers, which have been passed to The Observer.

Of 377 National Health Service and private hospitals surveyed in England, 173 - 46 per cent - were found to have poor cleanliness in their kitchens, or canteens or cafes used by staff, patients and visitors. Nine of the 377 were private hospitals, of which six were found to have at least one area of concern. Eleven of the 173 had experienced a vermin or pest problem, 57 employed catering staff who displayed inadequate personal hygiene and 18 were found to stock out-of-date food. Sixty-eight did not meet the legal minimum standard for food storage and 66 were storing food at the wrong temperature, which can stimulate the growth of bacteria.

'These findings paint a shocking picture of hospital food hygiene,' said the Liberal Democrats' shadow health secretary, Norman Lamb, who used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain from 145 local authorities their most recent food hygiene inspection reports for hospitals they monitor.

'It is simply unacceptable that such terrible practices are taking place in an environment where hygiene and safety should be paramount. Sick people are already vulnerable to infection. They don't need the added risk of food-borne bacteria spread by lax standards.'

He suggested the creation of a new system of clear and accessible ratings for hygiene levels in hospital kitchens, with the worst performers being 'named and shamed' as a way of driving up standards to benefit patients."

I'm well impressed by Norman Lamb's tenacity in getting at the facts in this and other health matters. While bad practice is hidden, it continues and usually worsens. Once light is shed on bad practice, there is much more likelihood that some remedial action will be taken. - 'Naming and shaming', as he suggests, sounds an excellent idea. - 'Naming and sacking' would be even more effective, in my opinion...


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