STAR NEWS Ipswich hospital's new visiting hours take effect today. Parking, however, seem unaffected. Pix Phil Morley 4/6/07 GV / Exterior / sign / Hospital

ipswich: Patients at Ipswich Hospital are sending back fewer meals than they were last year, new figures have revealed.

Ipswich Hospital is among the trusts in the east spending the most per patient on meals each day – forking out £13.59 on food.

It comes as the Department of Health reveals the average amount spent per patient each day is £8.77.

But there are still significant regional variations with the biggest spending hospital shelling out £15.65 per patient on food, around £10 more than the lowest spending trust.

In the east West Suffolk Hospital spends £9.99 per patient each day while the Norfolk and Norwich spend £8.10 and Addenbrooke’s Hospital spends £8.60.

At the Heath Road trust the amount spent on food has fallen from £17.20 in 2010/11 as every part of the NHS faces pressures to get more for less.

But the figures, released by the government, also show that fewer patients at Ipswich Hospital are turning their noses up at meals.

Food wastage has fallen from 28 per cent in 2010/11 to 11pc last year.

In total £2,562,414 was spent on food at the hospital last year, compared to £3,011, 831 the year previously.

Jan Ingle, Ipswich Hospital spokeswoman said a lot of work by a special focus group – made up of governors, patient representatives and staff – to test the meals and make sure they are healthy and how they are served.

She told The Star: “Food is an important part of life in hospital for patients and these latest figures show that we are getting better at making sure patients have access to the food they need and want at the right times.

“However it is an area where we continue to look at how we can get even better. “The work of volunteers and our user group, who help us, is very much appreciated.”

n What do you think of hospital food? Write to health reporter Lizzie Parry at Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail lizzie.parry@archant.co. uk