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Gazette News

Improvement in Airedale Hospital meals

6:50am Monday 15th March 2010

Food at Airedale Hospital has improved, according to an audit.

In a self-assessment for the 2010 Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT), the hospital has rated itself as ‘excellent’ in eight categories and ‘good’ in one. Not one of the elements of its food was ranked as ‘unacceptable, poor or acceptable’.

Last March, catering company Sodexo won the contract to provide food to patients at Airedale Hospital, despite unions, patients, the public and Keighley MP Ann Cryer opposing the move.

The PEAT assessment for food and hydration last year scored 95.6 per cent, in the ‘excellent’ band, and this year achieved 97.7 per cent.

Airedale NHS Trust chief executive Adam Cairns said: “We have an excellent rating for food and hydration.

“We should take assurances from this despite recent reports in the press about the catering.”

Airedale will review its approach in light of a Health-care Commission report into the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and its scandalous treatment of patients.

Airedale, along with NHS trusts across the country, will look at the report in full and actively consider the way they do business.

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