HOSPITALS in East Lancashire are spending £10.60 a day on food per patient.

The figure for East Lancashire Hospital Trust’s five hospitals compares to £40 per day per patient for some hospitals.

It has prompted fears of a ‘postcode lottery’ in hospital catering.

Hyndburn’s health boss Cllr Munsif Dad said reducing funding for patient meals could lead to ‘poorer quality food.’

He said: “This postcode lottery in NHS funding has been going on for a long time.

“This is a particular problem in deprived areas such as East Lancashire where funding is lower.

“Less funding means less money for food and it follows that we could see poorer-quality food.”

Figures show Burnley General Teaching Hospital and Pendle Community Hospital both spent £6 per day per patient on food, compared to Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital at £9, Clitheroe Hospital at £14 and Accrington Victoria Hospital at £18.

Susan Chapman, head of facilities at the trust, said: “Our catering teams work hard to prepare, cook and deliver high-quality food and drink for in-patients, 365 days a year.

“For as little as £6 per day, in-patients are provided with up to seven meals and snacks as an essential part of their package of care.

“The variable cost of in-patient meals at our five hospitals reflects the economies of scale possible at larger hospitals where we have a higher number of inpatients.”

The NHS digital data has emerged following research by the Labour Party, which has pledged to ensure hospitals have to meet minimum standards for the food served to patients.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “While food in hospitals is given a rating of nine out of 10 by patients, we know nutrition is a vital part of recovery. That’s why we have already introduced the first ever legally-binding food standards in the history of the NHS, and continue to press for high standards.”