A SURVEY into the quality of food at Fairfield Hospital found that 90 per cent of patients were happy with culinary standards.

In addition, 88 per cent of patients surveyed at the hospital said they were satisfied with the choice of food on offer.

And Prestwich Hospital achieved a clean sweep, with 100 per cent of people surveyed saying the quality of food was good and 92 per cent of patients saying there was sufficient choice.

Both hospitals always have fresh fruit available, even between meals, and the menus were checked by dieticians.

The findings come as the Government announced that hospitals must adhere to five legally binding food standards: these include screening patients for malnutrition, making sure patients get the help they need to eat and drink, and ensuring that canteens promote healthy diets.

Hospitals will now also be ranked in terms of the quality of their food, and the statistics will be published on the NHS Choices website.

The Department for Health said that any hospitals which do not follow the new rules would be in breach of their commissioning contract, and commissioning groups would be able to take action against them.

Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary, said the publication of the hospital tables is about making the NHS more transparent, allowing patients to compare standards.

He said: “Many hospitals are already offering excellent food to their patients and staff. But we want to know that all patients have nourishing and appetising food to help them get well faster and stay healthy, which is why we’re introducing tough new mandatory standards for the first time ever.”

Dianne Jeffrey, chairman of Age UK, led a panel of health experts to produce a report which recommended the changes.

She added: “Being in hospital is often a very worrying experience and it can be made worse when the food is unfamiliar or unappetising and you have no control over what and when you eat and drink.

“Whilst hospitals are not five-star restaurants, it’s important that food and drink is tasty, nourishing and thoughtfully presented so that people can eat as well possible.”