Hospital staff have slammed meals served at an NHS canteen, claiming the tuna sandwiches are 'pathetic' and the 'child size' portion of chips were soggy.
Staff at NHS hospitals across Hull have been sharing examples of the poor food which they say is further undermining morale as they come under huge pressure with patient backlogs and a surge in admissions.
And to add insult to injury, one senior medical staffer said the canteen had even hiked up its prices as the quality of food has tumbled. They said that was on top of controversial parking charges staff have to pay at Hull Royal and Castle Hull hospitals.
The NHS employee who spoke to HullLive also slated recent portion sizes served at the hospital canteen, claiming that they have been 'halved' but remain the same price. Managers insist is not the case.
The employee likened the new portion sizes to a 'child's portion', and said that pieces of fish are now 'cut in half' to save money and ciabattas have been shrunk by a third, reports Hull Live.
The size of takeaway boxes has also reduced- which Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust acknowledges but say it is for 'sustainability reasons'. The worker also said the prices of items such as sandwiches has increased from £2.50 to £3.00, which the trust said is due to rising costs in the supply chain, and is 'unavoidable'.
The NHS worker says that the poor food on offer as of late is "impacting staff morale", with employees already working long hours and intense pressure to tackle long wait times. The staff canteen at Hull Royal Infirmary is also currently in a makeshift cabin, which isn't suitable for high numbers of employees, while the re-opening of a new staff canteen has been pushed back a year.
The employee said: "I placed an order for fish and chips and was provided with what should be described as a child's portion. When I questioned it, I was told it was due to the cost of products, and we have to get used to smaller portions whilst paying the same prices.
"It was clear the fish had been cut into two pieces. A year ago, the fish and chips were served in bigger takeaway boxes. Recently they have reduced the takeaway boxes along with the portion sizes.
"Over at the sandwich counter at Castle Hill Hospital, they have increased the price of sandwiches from £2.50 to £3.00. To top it off, they have reduced the size of the Ciabatta by almost a third.
"Not only are we paying to park our cars in the hospital, but we are also now being overcharged with cutbacks and shrinkflation is in full force with this trust. Talking about restaurants, for over a year at Hull Royal Infirmary, one thousand staff are having to use a temporary portacabin restaurant with basic supplies.
"The new entrance, along with a new restaurant was meant to be open Autumn 2021. We are in Autumn 2022 and nothing looks to be finishing anytime soon. Such actions are impacting staff morale."
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust denied decreasing portion sizes but admitted to increasing prices due to costs and explained the change in takeaway cartons and the pushback of the café opening. A spokeswoman for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We have not changed the size of portions of any product sold in our restaurants and where supply of standards goods is altered, the catering management reflect pricing accordingly.
"However, we changed the supplier of our takeaway boxes recently as part of our Zero30 campaign, switching from polystyrene to a more sustainable product. We now have two sizes, meaning we can tailor the food item to the correct box size.
"The trust is not immune to rising costs in the supply chain affecting every business and household in the country at the moment so, unfortunately, some of our prices have had to increase. Staff are always welcome to bring in their own food to eat in any or our restaurants or staff break areas.
"Our multi-million pound construction project to create a new front entrance to Hull Royal Infirmary has been affected by delays in the construction industry caused by national and international issues such as the pandemic and Brexit. With our new restaurant scheduled to open in November, we’d like to thank staff, patients and visitors for their patience while the work is completed."
The cost of a tuna sandwich, a bit lacking in filling, cost £2.40 in the hospital canteen. On top of costly parking prices and long working hours, hospital staff feel as though they deserve better.
