Driving Up Hospital Meal Standards

£300, 000 is to be spent improving hospital meals in Scotland.

The Scottish Government says the cash will help health boards, such as NHS Fife, to offer more highly nutritious meals.

Last year it emerged that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was spending just £4 a day per patient.

Health Secretary Alex Neil says legislation could be brought into force to legally oblige hospitals to serve nutritional meals to all patients.

A consultation is to be launched.

MSP Bob Doris said:

"Ensuring that patients get a nutritious and balanced diet while they are in hospital is a key part of patient care and it is one the Scottish Government has rightly been determined to improve.

"There has been substantial investment made in this area since the SNP took office and today’s announcement of further funding shows we are determined that further progress should be made.

"Scotland has led the UK when it comes to developing nutrition standards in hospital and it is absolutely right that more is done to ensure those standards are lived up to.

"Today's announcement will help to ensure that hospital food continues to improve and patients get the nutrition they need during their time in hospital."