Hunger scandal: Rochdale in clear

A national malnutrition scandal which revealed 240 hospital patients starve to death every year, does not involve Rochdale, according to health bosses.

The shocking statistic was revealed to Conservatives as part of a Parliamentary answer.

It shows 242 patients died in the nation’s hospitals from malnutrition and the effects of hunger in 2007, while lack of food resulted in 2,311 deaths in hospitals between 1997 and 2007.

The third biggest jump in hospital deaths from malnutrition between 1997 and 2007 was in the North West, at 23%.

But Rochdale Infirmary bosses say it is not a problem for them.

A spokesman said there had been no deaths from malnutrition at the hospital over the last two years.

He said: “We follow national and local guidelines for screening patients for signs of malnutrition.

“Where patients are identified as being at risk, care is planned and delivered accordingly and, where appropriate, patients are referred to the dietician.

“We assess nutrition on each ward annually as part of our Nursing Quality Audit, the 2009/10 programme is about to start very shortly."

He also said Pennine Acute Trust, which runs the Infirmary, had close ties with Age Concern.

“It recently visited Rochdale Infirmary and we welcome both its support and advice in combating malnutrition,” he said.

A report published last year by the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition found that around one in three adults of all ages were at risk of malnutrition on admission to hospital, care homes and mental health units.

The organisation maintains malnutrition is an “under-recognised and under-treated problem” in the UK, and said hospitals, care homes and primary care settings were still failing to meet Department of Health guidelines for screening.