Health chiefs apologise as pictures emerge of inedible slop served up to patients at flagship Edinburgh hospital

  • Unpalatable plate of food was served up to a patient with cardiovascular issues
  • Edinburgh Royal Infirmary opened in 2003 and is currently privately funded
  • Was condemned last year after it served a patient a 'cremated' omelette 
  • ***Have you had an inedible meal while in hospital? Get in touch email Website.Pictures@mailonline.co.uk*** 

Health chiefs have been forced to apologise after pictures emerged of inedible hospital food which had been served up to a patient with cardiovascular problems.

The unpalatable dish had been given to a patient at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and consisted of a gooey mess that appeared to include potatoes, peas and possibly chicken, all of it coated in a thick, yellowish sauce.

The food was served up last month to a patient with blood circulation issues at the £2 billion privately-funded hospital which opened in 2003, which is recorded as spending around £2 a day on patient meals, 8p less than what is spent on food for prisoners.

The same hospital was condemned in January last year after a heart patient's 'cremated' omelette made its way on to social media. At the time the hospital apologised and promised to investigate.

Inedible: One patient suffering with blood circulation issues was served up the above meal

Inedible: One patient suffering with blood circulation issues was served up the above meal 

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (pictured above) spends around £2 per person a day on patient meals

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (pictured above) spends around £2 per person a day on patient meals 

But little appears to have been learned based on the new picture, taken in the hospital's vascular ward by Gillian Neilson.

Gillian, from Prestonpans, East Lothian, posted: 'This food is served to patients in ward 105 at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.'

Directing her question at NHS Lothian, she asked: 'Is it any wonder patients lose weight and have no appetite?'

George Curley, Director of Estates and Facilities at the health board, said today: 'NHS Lothian expects all food served to be of high quality and we are very sorry to anyone whose experience has been below this standard.

The burnt omelette was served up to one patient in January last year and the hospital had been slammed for not being able to provide adequate meals

The burnt omelette was served up to one patient in January last year and the hospital had been slammed for not being able to provide adequate meals

'Our catering strategy recognises the importance of good nutrition in patient care and would ask any patients who has a concern or complaint about their meals to raise these immediately with the person in charge of their care to ensure they are offered an alternative.'

In 2018, Scottish hospitals spent on average just £2 per day per patient on meals. The equivalent amount for prisoners was £2.58.

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Get in touch. Email Website.Pictures@mailonline.co.uk

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MPs called for a review of food and nutrition in the NHS after the shocking figures were revealed.

Last year, Irene Lang made national headlines after a picture emerged of a 'cremated omelette.'

The 68-year-old was served the inedible omelette following major heart surgery at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI).

This resulted in her giving up on the hospital food and her husband had to buy her from M&S.

Her son, Kevin Lang, slammed the hospital for failing to provide nutritious food for his mother after having a major heart surgery.

And last month, Bake off judge Prue Leith warned that cheap hospital food as preventing patients from getting better.

The Channel 4 judge, 79, claimed too many patients were being fed 'awful', cheap gloop' that was stopping them from recovering.

Leith is a government advisor for an overhaul of hospital food in England and Wales, which is due to be published early next year.

 ***Have you had an inedible meal while in hospital? Get in touch. Email Website.Pictures@mailonline.co.uk 

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