Hospital patient sends out for a McDonald’s after being served up a ‘shocking’ plate of food

A hospital patient sent out for a McDonald’s after being served up a ‘shocking’ plate of food on the ward.

Kevin Nicholson, 47, from Prestwick, Scotland, was left stunned after his partner Hazel-Ann McDonald, 55, was given the plate in Ayr Hospital, west Scotland.

The horrible dish consisted of turkey, beans and half a tomato, with watery gravy poured over the top. 

Hazel-Ann was left so disappointed that her daughter brought her a McDonald’s to hospital instead.

Hazel-Ann was receiving treatment in the Combined Assessment Unit on Wednesday night for an infection when she was given the plate and offered no other options, with sandwiches off the menu.

Health chiefs admitted the plate was ‘not up to our usual standard.’

Mr Nicholson said: ‘The state of the food my partner received is absolutely shocking. We are disgusted.

‘They never gave her any choice, they just dumped it on her.

‘I’m just struggling to see that someone thought it was a good choice of a meal. Someone in the kitchen has actually thought that was acceptable.

‘It’s a complete mess. Beans and gravy just don’t go and why have they just given her half a tomato?’

His partner has been in and out of hospital to deal with a recurring problem and Mr Nicholson said the food standards are usually higher with a menu to choose from.

He added: ‘Usually in the wards you get a menu choice, there is plenty to choose from but this was just inedible.

‘My partner refused to eat it and my daughter had to bring her a McDonald’s instead.’

NHS Ayrshire and Arran said their Combined Assessment Units are served at meal times including breakfasts.

Options regularly include soup and sandwiches. 

Health chiefs said food served with breakfast, lunch and dinner can be from a limited selection, especially if units are busy.

Nicola Graham, Director of Infrastructure and Support Services, said: ‘We sincerely apologise to any patient who has been provided with food which is not up to our usual standard and would ask that they contact us directly so that we can investigate and provide feedback.’