Mayor hits out at 'disgusting' cutlery given to hospital patients

3:48pm Thursday 26th April 2001

DISGUSTED councillor Josie Ricketts said her stay in Wycombe Hospital was marred after claiming that eating utensils were dirty.

Amersham mayor Cllr Ricketts, who lives in Briery Way, Amersham, was taken into hospital last Tuesday after she felt faint.

She said: "The lady next to me had a cup which had lipstick on it and my knife was covered in old food. My husband ended up bringing me a tumbler from home, and I would wash it out in the sink, you have to be careful.

"I thought it all had to be sterilised. It is disgusting."

Cllr Ricketts stayed in hospital until Saturday after doctors told her she had an irregular heartbeat

She added: "I was in the hospital five or six years ago with breast cancer, it used to be so clean but it is not now, it is not hygienic."

Martin Leaver, a spokesman for South Bucks NHS Trust, said: "We will investigate and we do value feedback from patients who do point out potential problems and help us make improvements.

"Standards of hygiene are monitored closely and actions are taken. Every hospital in the country has been vetted before Christmas and results showed we had made significant improvements."