ALMOST 1,000 meals a month were returned, discarded or not eaten at South West Acute Hospital during the last year, The Impartial Reporter has learned.
Across the entire Western Health and Social Care Trust 40,448 meals were returned between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016 costing £42,202.31 of public money. At South West Acute Hospital, 11,669 meals were returned, discarded or not eaten in 12 months costing a total of £13,069.
The figures, obtained following a Freedom of Information request by this newspaper, have left Erne West Councillor Bernice Swift feeling “sick.”
“There is something seriously wrong at South West Acute Hospital in the planning, management and distribution of meals. These figures are simply intolerable and I demand an immediate investigation as to why this wasteful practice has elevated to such a high level without somebody responsible taking practical measures to resolve the problem. It makes me feel sick,” she said.
Councillor Swift wants to see a joint up approach implemented as a way to tackle the problem and is now calling on the Western Trust to review its “bad practice.”
“It wouldn’t take much brain storming to come up with viable, workable solutions to this poor state of affairs. For the ratepayers who contribute highly to this department, wastage and overspends are absolutely not an acceptable response especially at such a critical time of cuts to so many other services and agencies who would gladly put to use the hospital extras. A joint up approach is mandatory and it is the responsibility of hospital management to tackle this problem immediately.”
Democratic Unionist Councillor Raymond Farrell is to write to the Trust’s Chief Executive Elaine Way about the issue.
“It certainly concerns me to learn of such wastage in meals in our local hospital and particularly when our financial position demands we be extremely prudent in terms of expenditure. A review of this service is the least we can expect in the light of these figures.
“I wonder if in a time when elderly people in the community are in need for a hot meal that a service strategy cannot be put in place that allows for appropriate and efficient use of funds,” he said. 
Ulster Unionist MP Tom Elliott has said there is “a significant issue” for some patients at South West Acute Hospital, particularly elderly patients, who find it difficult to feed themselves.
“As a result there is not a large enough complement of staff to help them with their meals, so unless there are family members available this can sometimes result with returned food. I am also aware that food is ordered for patients and then they are scheduled for surgery or other reason for fasting and that food is then returned,” he said.
SDLP MLA Richie McPhillips said at first glance the figures appeared alarming “especially when we consider the massive financial pressures facing the health service.”
“I don’t think this wastage justify immediate budget cuts in the catering bill, as this may have a detrimental impact on patient care. All hospitals are subjected to robust compliance standards to ensure that every patient is protected from the risk of malnutrition or dehydration. It would be frivolous to jeopardise patient care in a money saving exercise.
“I would however like to see South West Acute Hospital and the Western Trust look more closely at best practice in order to make savings in the long term,” he said. 
Mr. McPhillips wants to see an initiative introduced that would allow for the unused meals to be used elsewhere such as “for homelessness or for care in the community projects.”
“This is an issue that I will be following up with Health Minister Michelle O’Neill,” he said.
Sinn Féin MLA Sean Lynch said: "There is no doubt that the health budget, like that of all departments, is under pressure as a result of Tory austerity policies. 
“Every effort should be made to ensure that the health budget is spent as efficiently as possible and hospitals should continually review spending with this in mind.” 
A spokesperson for the Western Trust said it works hard to keep wastage to a minimum and has systems in place in each hospital to enable staff or patients to cancel meals at short notice, in order avoid returned, uneaten meals. A new catering management system ‘Saffron’ has recently been implemented which will assist in the monitoring of meals ordered and returned across all wards. 
“Situations can however occur where a patient’s condition has deteriorated or they feel unwell and unable to eat the meal ordered, or where urgent tests or procedures are ordered and patients are required to fast, or patients are discharged earlier than originally planned, resulting in a meal not required. These situations cannot always be foreseen,” said the spokesperson.