BETTER food is being promised at a hospital after its kitchens are updated.

The promise by Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, follows a dismal description of the meals currently on offer by one recent patient.

Comments by Jean Slattery, 73, of Cloverdale Gardens, Sidcup, follow figures suggesting more than half of older hospital patients now suffer malnutrition in hospitals.

Mrs Slattery, who praised the nursing care she received, says breakfast was the best meal of the day at Queen Mary's because it was a bowl of cereal which came straight from a box.

She said: "Because of heart problems there are certain foods I cannot eat.

"When I mentioned this, I was told I had to notify any special requirements two days in advance, which didn't help because I needed to eat in the meantime.

"And by the time my special meals were available, I had been discharged."

Mrs Slattery claims the midday meal of soup was just two spoonfuls of rehydrated powdered soup which still had lumps of undissolved powder in it.

This was followed by deep fried fish medallions which were cold and oozed oil.

These were accompanied by cold, wet green beans and reconstituted powdered potato.

The evening meal was cabbage so watery it was inedible.

This was accompanied by meat too tough to be chewed and followed by rice pudding made with water instead of milk.

Mrs Slattery added: "One woman who challenged the catering manager on behalf of her sick mother was told there was nothing wrong with the food and it was tested every day".

Mrs Slattery eventually paid a visit to the website of the hospital's caterers, Aramark.

She said "It sounds wonderful but the reality is very different.

"What annoys me is Queen Mary's is struggling and money is being spent on this catering contract while the food is really atrocious."

Queen Mary's says it has been working hard to improve the food since the new caterers took over earlier this year.

A spokesman said the hospital takes the views of patients very seriously.

She added: "Our kitchens are being fully refurbished in mid-September.

"This will allow us to prepare and serve freshly cooked food, which will be traditional, comforting meal selections, to patients in future."