Rethink at New Cross Hospital after Sikh patient served beef

The patient, whose identity has not been revealed, was given the meat at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton after being taken in over a cardiac-related illness.

He refused to eat the meal and was instead offered a plate of potatoes. It was revealed during a board meeting of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.

Trust chief nursing officer, Cheryl Etches OBE, said: "As a vegetarian myself, I would be offended if I was offered anything like meat or fish. It's disappointing that this simple valid issue wasn't addressed appropriately at the time.

"The hospital does offer a range of daily options, including a vegetarian option, so it is very disappointing to find out that this didn't happen in this case."

The daughter of the patient was faced with no other option than to bring in their own food for their father, the meeting heard.

She said: "We were happy and willing to do that but for some patients who don't have family, that won't be an option."

The nutritional value of the carbohydrates offered to the patient was questioned, as well as how soon a patient is assessed for their dietary needs when they arrive at hospital.

Janet Anderson, non-executive director of the trust, said "How do we know, at what stage, do we find out what is required for a patient in terms of their nutritional needs?"

Ms Etches said "Every patient should be assessed upon entry into a ward, as part of their clinical induction, as to what their needs are, including the cultural and religious implications.

"This forms part of a Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool which should be reviewed throughout the time the person remains in hospital."

Since the complaint, photographic menus have been implemented in hospitals, including New Cross, the meeting heard.

If a patient refuses to eat the food on offer, this is to be escalated to a senior member of catering staff to find out why.

David Loughton CBE, chief executive of the trust, said "Many families will often choose to bring in food to supplement what we provide in the hospitals. We appreciate that this is often the case. However, it should not be that families of patients have to provide full meals to their relatives every day."

The trust has come under fire in recent years following the opening of a Greggs bakery in the grounds of New Cross hospital. Mr Loughton CBE said "Greggs has now improved what they offer, and there are a lot more healthy options available."