Complaint over food in Yorkshire eating disorders hospital

A woman who spent time in a hospital for adults with eating disorders said the food she was served made her condition worse not better.

Harriet, 31, said the quality of food at the Schoen Clinic in York "was absolutely terrible".

The mum-of-one said there were "countless times bread was out of date and mouldy, and milk had gone off".

The clinic said "we are committed to providing the best possible care for those experiencing eating disorders".

Speaking of her experience at the in-patient unit, Harriet, from East Yorkshire, said: "My eating became more disordered the longer I was there.

"A lot of the main meals resembled only what can be described as dog kibble. It wasn't mince it was mush. You could tell the veg had turned and was either overcooked or undercooked.

"I wouldn't feed it to an animal, let alone a human being, especially one with an eating disorder.

"We were told it's edible, but that's not acceptable. Dog food is edible, but I wouldn't eat it. Staff would say 'it's your eating disorder'."

Harriet was referred to the hospital on Haxby Road in June 2021 and spent four months there. She was also readmitted for a second time in August 2023.

The hospital was rated "inadequate" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April 2022. According to the CQC report, patients at the time were put at risk of "physical and psychological harm due to unsafe and unacceptable food provision".

It was reinspected six months later and given a "good" rating but the report found "patients' feedback and quality audits showed that there were issues with the choice and quality of food provided".

Schoen Clinic UK Group, which currently treats more than 300,000 patients a year at 46 hospitals and clinics in the UK and Germany, said: "At our York hospital, there was a period of time where we were contractually obligated to use a food supplier designated by our landlords.

"It was at this time (2022) that the first CQC report was released. We raised our concerns and worked swiftly with our landlords to rectify the issues. We also proactively brought in a new hospital director.

"Since January 2024, when Schoen Clinic UK acquired the whole of Minster Grange, we now use one of the largest, most trusted food service providers in the catering industry and our dietitians are on-site to assess nutritional requirements and devise appropriate treatment plans."

If you've been affected by eating disorders, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line.

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