She had been waiting for her meal since 4pm at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent and was shocked when she arrived. After receiving the beans, the catering staff then returned with a jacket potato and a packet of butter.
But when the patient opened the packet of butter, she pretended it was empty.
The 42-year-old patient – who chose to remain anonymous – praised the work and efforts of the staff to ensure the patient was taken care of.
But she found it hard to ignore how bad the food was in the hospital.
She said, “They just came over and planted a plate of beans in front of me.
“I was in shock. I said ‘is anyone laughing?’.
“You couldn’t make it up.”
The patient continued, “I hit my buzzer to complain and made it pretty clear to them how hungry I was in the most polite way possible.
“They offered me a salad but at this point I just wanted some carbs.
“Then they came with this jacket potato and an empty packet of butter.
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However, the patient expressed her sympathy for the staff, stating, “I am so sorry for the staff. They’re just rushed.
“The nurses were really lovely, I couldn’t fault the care, but they don’t have enough body to do the job.
“The NHS is at breaking point. They even had to open another Covid service when I was there.
“Fortunately, I’m on the mend now, but my baked beans meal is just one example of how overloaded they are. “
Speaking about the incident, Lorraine Whitehead, Director of Estates, Facilities and PFI at North Midlands NHS Trust Teaching Hospitals, said: “We take seriously any complaints or concerns raised by patients or their families; this was raised with our catering suppliers to ensure that the food served is delivered to the highest possible standards.
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