PATIENTS could soon order their meals 'room service' style to their bedside under plans to revolutionise hospital catering.

Managers at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, are to hold a trial where patients will be given a menu and a one-and-a-half hour window to order their meal.

The order would be passed to a ward hostess who would phone through to the kitchens and deliver the meal to the patient within 20 minutes.

They hope allowing patients more say over when they eat they will cut wastage and if the trial is a success, it could be copied at Burnley General Hospital.

East Lancashire Hospitals Trust is believed to be the first in the country to look at introducing the system, which came from the USA.

Operations director John Dell said: "Very often when the meal trolleys do rounds of the wards, patients are away having treatment or they simply may not be feeling hungry at that time. This results in a lot of food going to waste or deteriorating.

"These proposals are a 'quantum leap' in terms of hospital catering provision because it puts the patient at the centre of the operation by allowing them to choose when they want to eat.

"The catering department would be reorganised and operated on the basis of restaurant-style kitchen and would be supported at ward level by a team of room service hosts and hostesses who would serve meals to patients.

"It's not only 'do-able' but shouldn't cost too much extra because of the reduced waste."

After 2006, there will be 309 extra beds at Queen's Park as the £100million single site development is completed and Blackburn Royal Infirmary closes.

Estates manager Mike Hall said they were taking this as an opportunity to review the way catering services are run to cope with the extra demand.

He visited New York earlier in the year along with catering consultants employed by the trust to see how the room-service system operated at a cancer hospital.

He said: "We were very impressed with what we saw and the patients seemed to love it so we're looking at introducing it over here.

"I believe we're the first trust in this country to consider it. With the expansion we decided to do an overall review of catering services and ask patients what they wanted. Many felt that having meals delivered at a set time did not always fit in well with them."

Clarice Goddard, 73, of Pleckgate in Blackburn, had a hip replacement in August. She said: "A lot of the time you just didn't feel like eating because of the anaesthetic or you would be away having your dressings changed and you'd come back to find the meal cold. I think this is a great idea giving patients more say over when they can eat."

Mollie Manthorpe, chairman of the trust's pilot patients' forum said: "I think it will be a real challenge to implement but it will help tremendously towards a patient's well-being."

Discussions are continuing with medical staff to ensure the system could fit into their working day although Mr Dell said a lot of nurses were very supportive of the plans.

Managers hope the trials will begin in January and they are busy putting together a business case for the trust board to consider.