Patients put at risk from mouldy food from filthy kitchens – some infested with rats and cockroaches

THOUSANDS of vulnerable patients are being served food prepared in filthy kitchens, a shock investigation reveals.

Care home workers with little hygiene training are preparing meals surrounded by mould, flies, cockroaches and rats.

And hospitals are dishing up grub that has gone out of date or been stored in warm fridges that fail to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

Inspectors from the Food Standards Agency identified the ghastly levels of cleanliness during nationwide checks.

Experts say the appalling standards are putting patients and their visitors at “high risk” of poisoning.

Four hundred hospitals, hospices, care homes, nurseries and school clubs were so bad they were slapped with improvement notices.

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme – run by the FSA – rates organisations and businesses from zero to five.

Eight health and care premises currently have a zero rating, indicating “urgent improvement” is necessary. None of these are hospitals.

But 187 have a rating of one – meaning “major improvement” is necessary – and three of these are hospital premises, including the private Priory Hospital in Altrincham, Cheshire.

A further 205 are ranked as two – meaning improvement is necessary – and this includes six hospitals and around 100 care homes.

Among those given the ranking of two was Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.

An inspection of patient catering kitchens in August revealed sliced chicken two days past its use-by date.

The experts also noted leaking sinks, “inadequate” knowledge among staff about how to handle food safely, and mouldy areas.

The report added: “There was a lot of mould and mouldy sealant caused by the damp conditions.”

Inspectors also found dirty hand wash basins and food trolleys used to take meals to patients with “dried-on” food on them.

Darryn Kerr, director of facilities at Leicester’s Hospitals, said: “We already have an action plan in place to urgently address the areas that need improvement.”

West Heath Hospital in Birmingham, which serves 42 inpatients and runs a restaurant, was ranked one in March.

Inspectors found out-of-date food, turkey and beef being frozen against instructions, and desserts and bacon being given too long use-by dates by staff.

A spokeswoman said operating procedures had now improved.

Parkview Residential Care Home in Bexleyheath, south-east London, was found to have an “infestation of Oriental cockroaches” during an August inspection.

The kitchen was closed voluntarily for the second time following a previous warning and inspectors gave it a zero rating.

Ivy House care home in Derby, which specialises in dementia care, scored zero after inspectors found a rats’ nest and droppings in the kitchen.

The home said the problems have now been rectified.

Katherine Murphy, from the Patients Association, described the findings as “immensely worrying”.

She added: “These institutions are treating and caring for some of the most vulnerable people and children in society.

“To either overlook or neglect the standards of good food hygiene is shameful.”

Nadra Ahmed, chairwoman of the National Care Association, which represents care home providers, said the vast majority of employed staff had food hygiene training.

But she added: “There is room for improvement.”

Claire Schofield, from the National Day Nurseries Association, said: “The nurseries listed are rare exceptions.”

A Priory spokesman said: “An overwhelming majority of our hospitals achieve a food hygiene rating of three or better.

“Where this is not the case, we take robust action to ensure that all the issues are swiftly addressed including additional staff training and equipment checks in addition to daily inspections.”