ALMOST HALF OF HOSPITAL KITCHENS FAILING HYGIENE INSPECTIONS - LAMB

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 12th Aug 2007

Almost half of all hospitals kitchens and/or canteens in England could be failing to meet cleanliness and hygiene standards, according to a nationwide survey by the Liberal Democrats.

Nearly a fifth of hospitals surveyed kept food at the wrong temperatures or in unsafe conditions, while 11 hospitals had problems with vermin.

Offending hospitals reported problems including cockroaches and mouse droppings in kitchens, medical waste on food handling equipment and poor personal hygiene in staff.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb MP said:

"These findings paint a shocking picture of hospital food hygiene in this country. It is simply unacceptable that such terrible practices are taking place in an environment where hygiene and safety should be paramount.

"Sick people are already vulnerable to infection. They don't need the added risk of food-borne bacteria spread by lax standards.

"Patients have a right to know how their food is being prepared when they go into hospital. Hygiene standards must be made public via clear and accessible ratings for each institution.

"The worst performers should be named and shamed - while those doing well would stand as an example to drive up standards."

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE SURVEY:

1. The Liberal Democrats submitted Freedom of Information request to a quarter of all English local authorities, asking them for their local authority health inspection reports into the food preparation areas of local hospitals within their authority. The results include both NHS and private hospitals.

Of the 377 hospitals included in the responses:

• 173 hospital environments displayed poor cleanliness / condition of workplace

• 11 hospitals had a vermin / pest problem

• 68 hospitals fell below the legal requirements for food storage / conditions

• 57 hospitals had staff with poor personal hygiene / lack of hand washing

• 18 hospitals had food that was out of date

• 66 hospitals stored food at incorrect temperatures

• 107 hospitals did not have correct food safety documentation

• 25 hospitals had inadequate staff training

2. Selected examples of poor cleanliness and hygiene:

• William Harvey Hospital kitchen

"Full grown adult" cockroaches in kitchens in 2006 report; 2007 report stated there had been "regular reports of an infestation of oriental cockroaches in the kitchen".

• Mary Hewiston Cottage Hospital, Main Kitchen

Edge of ceiling by vegetable prep area needs replacing to make cleaning easier. Wall tiles missing near rear kitchen door. Fly screen needs cleaning. Need supply of probe wipes. Ready to eat food and raw food stored together in fridges and freezers - in this case it was ice cream and prawns. Medication such as burn cream kept in fridges.

• Ards Hospital kitchen

Fridge ranged between 9.6C and 13.5C - should be less than 8C. Orange juice stored next to cleaning chemicals. Brunch Box in fridge belonging to a patient (in an area patients do not have access) was 9 days past its use by date.

• Erith Hospital Canteen, Erith & District Hospital

[Numerous problems reported, including:] Hazard analysis report needed, inadequate documentation regarding possible food safety hazards etc. Personal hygiene - food handlers were wearing jewellery and hand-wash basin was not in regular use. Paint on the ceiling was peeling, cupboards, shelves and work surfaces were damaged and could not be cleaned adequately. Standard of cleaning to the kitchen structures - needed a thorough deep clean and disinfection. Store room had no ventilation. Pest control - mice found in the lobby [being dealt with by Rentokil].

• Countess of Chester Hospital

Broken seal on staff fridge. Edges of work surfaces damaged and unable to be cleaned properly. Seal between sink and surface in neo-natal surface defective. Seal on work surface in children's ward dirty and defective and hot top not working as top of tap was missing. Ice cream scoop defective and could cause contamination. Wooden batten in sink in radiology dept. defective and dirty. Milk stored in drug freezer in radiology. Patient jugs left to air dry but stopped in top of each other and therefore unable to do so. High risk food stored at 15C. Tiles missing on kitchen walls. Poor cleaning of floors. Hand wash basin not being used properly after toilet use, smoking, handling rubbish, etc.

• Mayday University Hospital

Two incidents of contaminated material being brought to the kitchen from the wards on meal trays (a further six mentioned in the previous report). Inspector stated: "As has been mentioned previously this is a completely unacceptable practice. Apart from the danger of food contamination there is also a significant health and safety risk to the kitchen staff, especially staff employed in the wash-up area... Nothing except cutlery, crockery and food related items must be put on to meal trays and ward staff must check the trays before the meal trolleys leave the ward. Ensure such information is constantly reiterated to staff on wards." Food prep equipment in the salad prep area needed more thorough cleaning - build up of food debris on chopping boards. Food needs to be kept cool during defrosting. Pre-cooked chicken stored next to raw meat in freezer. Food handlers wearing long butterfly earrings with gems in, large hooped earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, one member of staff wearing headphones, many staff drinking tea and coffee whilst traying up. 'Euro Bin' waste disposal area accumulating debris. Wooden magnetic knife holder no longer varnished and cannot be cleaned properly. (In all the following points the incidents involved contaminated material being sent from wards to kitchens on food trays.) Report from 17 Jan 2006; Incidents logged include - two syringes in beaker on a ward, syringe and needle on supper tray, needle on tray, venflow canula on breakfast tray, disposable tray containing used swab and used insulin needle and syringe, orange capped syringe on lunchtime tray. Incidents logged in 2005 report: insulin sharps wrapped in serviette from ward, used syringe and soiled dressings from Norwood ward, uncapped needle and syringe from Fairfield ward, sheathed sharps on number of wards, capped needles on number of wards, venflow, catheter and bloodied dressing from ward, orange capped needle and syringe.

• Ealing Hospital

Cockroaches found in small freezer in kitchen. Mice droppings found in storeroom. Tuna and sweetcorn filler stored at 11.5C rather than 8C. Dirty and damp walls on main chiller. Food safety manual not always followed. Temperature of hot foods not monitored.

• Moorgreen Hospital

Need to review hazard analysis. Temperature on fridge 8.7C - fridge stores high risk food which should be stored at no more than 8C and ideally less than 5C. Ice scoop stored in ice machine and should be stored elsewhere to avoid growth of bacteria. Vehicles used to transport food trolleys to wards may also be used to transport clinical waste. Cans of food left open in fridges on wards.

• Homerton Hospital

[Numerous problems and rated as one star ("poor")] Trolleys need to be provided in order for staff to carry waste and avoid upper limb disorders. Drain covers not in place. Draining tap on cooking vats needs replacing. Drains blocking in cooking vat area. Disposable towels needed for wash hand basin in pot area. Loose screws in cupboard which could enter food. Food defrosted at room temperature. Food for disposal stored in fridge and not properly labelled. Fridge door in diet area doesn't close properly. Fire extinguishers not on wall brackets. Extractor not operating effectively. Oil and water pooling behind the fryers and steaming ovens. Guard not suitable on meat slicer. Fridge temps need checking. Door handles on meat freezer dirty. Food not covered in that freezer - trays stacked on top of each other. Bain marie in serving area need temperatures checked. Food spillages and packets of food in dry stores under racking.

• Hinkley and Bosworth Community Hospital

No 'action taken' column on temperature monitoring record. Walk in freezer operating at -12C when it states on record sheet that it was operating at -18C. Water at hand wash basin was 60.8C. Insects need to be removed from lights.

• Ipswich Hospital

Door frame to vegetable chiller was damaged and cannot be properly cleaned. Seal between sink units and wall were coming away from the wall and cannot be cleaned in places. Issues in 2006 report: No bins by hand wash. Freezer at -13C rather than -18C. Foot operated bins not attached to floor and could not be used properly as a result. Clothing stored in kitchen. Seals split on hot hold units. Walk-in vegetable fridge had damaged door door frame doorframe. Hand wash basin in ward not accessible due to water bottles stored in front of it. Used injection ampoules found in cardboard box in kitchen. Chopping board in kitchen deteriorated and can no longer be used. Freezer area not clean. Door seal on cake fridge split. Probe thermometer not clean. Occasional cockroach still being found.

• Royal Oldham Hospital

'A' Kitchen: 1/2 Mouse droppings on floor in pastry area that were fresh. Dead cockroach was present on floor under the sink. Some food debris inside belt used for plating meals for patients. Belt is no longer required due to new procedure for plating meals. 'B' Kitchen: N/A. Cafe Royal: Sandwiches stored at 22C rather than 8 (report from 2005)

• Capio Nightingale Hospital, Kensington and Chelsea

Some mouse droppings found in dry stores.

• St Albans City Hospital

A few out of date meals. Cockroach found near diet fridge.

• St Andrews Hospital, Tower hamlets

Hand wash needed in cooking area. High risk food to be stored at 8C or less. Food debris in prep area. Cockroach Nymph found on insect monitor. NB Due to close 24/10/06.

• Royal Hampshire County Hospital

Food handler licking fingers, wipe a plate after doing so and then eat food from a container - all while the food handler was on the final service line. Inspector stated: "This practice must cease immediately. The cross contamination of food, in a high risk business by food handlers poor personal hygiene will not be tolerated by this department. If any further breaches are observed then enforcement action will be taken against any individual seen to be breaking statute. In addition action may be taken against the corporate organisation." (Dec 2006). March 2006: Leak in roof meant water leaking into raw meat storage area and also onto electric fly killer.