Thousands 'suffering in hospital'

Thousands of NHS patients are suffering from malnutrition in hospitals in the West Midlands, shock figures reveal today.

The number of serious incidents relating to poor nutritional care has risen by a staggering 178 per cent in just three years.

Such cases are reported by staff anonymously to the National Patient Safety Agency and relate to incidents "which could have or did lead to harm for one or more patients receiving NHS care". Data shows West Midlands Strategic Health Authority incidents have gone up from 708 in 2005 to 1,969 in 2007.

This is the second largest increase in the country, the biggest being in the North East.

The West Midlands SHA, which manages the ambulance service, all the primary care trusts (PCTSs), Acute Trusts (hospitals), care, foundation and mental health trusts in the region, is responsible for ensuring that the £7 billion pounds spent on health care in the area delivers better services for patients and better value for money for taxpayers.

Nationally, the data showed the number of incidents has risen from 15,473 to 29,138 - almost double.

A poll last year from the Royal College of Nursing found that patients are at risk of malnutrition because there are not enough nurses to make sure they are properly fed.

Shadow Health Minister Stephen O'Brien, who obtained the figures from Health minister Ann Keen, said: "People go to hospital expecting to get better, yet in 2007, 29,000 people suffered unnecessary and completely avoidable harm from poor nutritional care." The Government's Nutrition Action Plan, published last October, aims to tackle malnutrition by monitoring standards through inspections.