A study commissioned by Age Concern and Help the Aged Scotland found that more than one-third of older people admitted to hospital rated the food as poor and that 16% had their food or drink left out of reach.

It found that many of the patients did not need help with their meals but that of those who did, some 57% did not receive it.

The survey was motivated by concerns that elderly people are being left malnourished in hospitals because of the type and quality of the food on offer and the fact that some are still not receiving the required help at mealtimes.

The news follows revelations in The Herald about growing levels of elder abuse and calls for a change in public attitudes towards older people.

In 2001, a report commissioned by the Scottish Executive found that approximately one in five elderly patients in hospitals and care homes was undernourished. Ministers said they would deal with the problem and implement the 50 recommendations of the report, including ensuring staffing levels on long-term wards were adequate at mealtimes.

However, experts and relatives say not enough resources have been allocated to make this work.

In 2004 the Scottish Human Rights Centre wrote to Scottish Health Boards warning that failing to ensure that patients are fed properly is a breach of their human rights.

Malnutrition has been identified as a major public health problem in the UK, with between 15% and 40% of hospital admissions affected, and more than two million adults affected in Britain. Experts say that being malnourished reduces people’s mobility as well as their ability to fight infection and shrug off illness.

The new report states: “These issues are significant in their own right, but are compounded by the fact that as many as 40% of older people admitted to hospital have malnutrition on arrival. As a result, some 60% of older hospital patients are at risk of becoming malnourished, or becoming more malnourished, during their hospital stay.

“This is backed up by a study from Glasgow Royal Infirmary in 2000, which showed that, at the time, malnutrition in acute hospital admissions went unrecognised and unmanaged in 70% of cases.

“Malnutrition has a serious impact on recovery times and post-operative complications and also increases the likelihood of future re-admissions to hospital. In this context, the importance of improving mealtimes for older people in hospital is clear.”

As part of Age Concern Scotland’s Hungry to be Heard campaign, more than 100 older people who had recently been in hospital were asked a series of questions to ascertain whether

the standards for nutritional care in acute hospitals are being met.

Some 47% rated the food as good or very good but only 45% were weighed on admission, despite concerns about malnutrition and a government standard that states they have to assess and screen patients.

“It does strongly suggest that there is a distinct problem for many patients who need help to eat their food,” the report states.

“In addition, 16% of respondents reported that they were not given sufficient time to eat their meals.

“Our survey shows that 16% of respondents had a meal or drink left out of their reach on at least one occasion – something that is simply unacceptable and in many ways represents one of the most significant failures to implement the standards relating to nutritional care.

“It undermines the implementation of all the standards as hospitals only counter their good work by leaving it out of reach of patients.”

The report concludes that further research should be conducted by the Scottish Government as standards are not being fully implemented.

In April, Shetland Health Board was ordered to apologise after leaving a paralysed woman without food or water for 20 hours, in one of a series of errors in her treatment.

Both the board and the Scottish Ambulance Service were criticised by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman over the treatment of the woman.

He found she had no nutrition or fluids for 20 hours after arriving in hospital.