A hospital that was given an award for its fresh food has been slammed by a dad who said he wouldn’t feed it to his DOG.
Darren Graham, 47, and wife, Caroline, visited the Rumbles Restaurant at the West Middlesex University Hospital a number of times while their son had an operation on his broken leg.
The dad-of-one was outraged to hear the hospital had been awarded the Soil Association’s Food for Life Catering Bronze award – because every day they were dishing up slop to their son.
Photographer Darren visited his son in the hospital in Isleworth, West London, every day.
He said: “My wife and I were using the canteen because the ward wouldn’t feed us.
“We went four times over four days and every time we were there we said we aren’t coming back.
“But because it’s the only place to get food we did eat there and I can guarantee the food is certainly not fresh and I know it’s made off site.
“Let’s just say I wouldn’t feed it to my animals”
“I had lasagne that looked like it was cooked the day before and left out on a hot plate – it was dried out, cold and tasteless.”
While Darren was concerned with the food at the restaurant, he was more worried about the ‘slop’ given to his son, Harvey, who was in the hospital after breaking his leg in a basketball accident.
He said: “At first we weren’t concerned by the quality of food because we were more concerned by our son’s condition.
“But the food was cold and on one occasion the plate was hotter than the food.
“My son isn’t getting the protein and nourishment he needs because the food is disgusting and they win an award for best food.”
A hospital spokesman said it was “sorry to hear” Darren and his family were dissatisfied with the quality of food.
He said: “Our main priority in providing patient meals is that they be of good quality and high nutritional value to aid recovery.
“To ensure our food meets these criteria we involve dietitians, as well as patient representatives, in the selection of our menus, which are reviewed twice a year.
“The food served in our hospital restaurant is also subject to similar checks and the menu is updated on a regular basis.
“We welcome feedback and would ask patients and visitors to speak to a member of the catering team while they are in hospital so that we have an opportunity to put things right immediately.
“Since hearing about Mr Graham’s feedback we have offered to meet with him to discuss his concerns directly.”
