Hospitals run by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust provide some of the worst hospital food in England, according to figures provided by the Department of Health.

Maidstone Hospital was ranked 1,232 out of 1,258 hospitals for its quality of food, with Tunbridge Wells six places higher.

The list was compiled by patient-led inspection groups between March and June this year. These assessed the quality and choice of food.

Maidstone received a score of 70.15% for quality, with Tunbridge Wells graded at 70.83%.

The results were published yesterday to coincide with the launch of new hospital food standards.

When it came to choice of food Tunbridge Wells ranked 538th with a score of 90.15% but Maidstone was 860th with 84.28%.

A smaller site at Tonbridge Cottage Hospital, where the trust runs a stroke ward, also fared poorly.

It was the second worst for food quality nationally with a score of 42%.

Priority House, which is run by the Kent and NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, was number 1,168 on the list for food quality with a score of 78.86%.

The Trevor Gibbons Unit, also run by the Kent and Medway Partnership, was 687th for food quality with a score of 94% and 87.75% for selection.

Hospitals must now follow a series of mandatory requirements to improve standards.

The requirements say:

• hospitals should screen patients for malnutrition and give patients a food plan
• hospitals should take steps to ensure patients get the help they need to eat and drink
• healthy diets for staff and visitors must be promoted in hospital canteens.
• food must be sourced in a sustainable way to ensure it is healthy, good for individuals and for the food industry.

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