I FELT I had to respond to recent letters in the Evening Press regarding hospital food.

I can only assume from the comments in Mr Simpson's letter that he works in the kitchens at the hospital and has never actually been a patient (January 13).

I was an in-patient for three months in 2004 and the food was disgusting.

The pasta dishes were a congealed mess, fish and chips were cold, Yorkshire puddings were as hard as rock. They even managed to ruin tuna sandwiches.

The smell of the food trolleys coming on to the ward was enough to put you off anything which was on offer. More food was thrown away than was eaten every day, which must tell someone somewhere that it was not palatable and that improvement was needed.

I realise the kitchens are catering for a vast number of people and that it cannot be easy, but the people who are meant to be eating the food are sick and in need of nourishment and appetising food.

I know the NHS is in dire financial straits, but surely costs could be cut if they served less choice, but more edible meals, which were actually eaten by patients, and not ending up in a pig bin.

I agree with Mrs Page's comments (January 16), that no one could possibly enjoy the meals on offer.

Carol Miller,

Priors Walk,

Acomb, York.

Updated: 09:40 Saturday, January 21, 2006