MONAGHAN General Hospital was recently awarded second place out of 52 hospitals on a website for the quality of its food. “Rate My Hospital” is irishhealth.com’s unique online hospital ratings survey and according to the survey around 40% of the country’s hospitals are below par when it comes to the quality and service of food to patients. Monaghan Hospital scored 3.98 (80%). On www.ratemyhospital.ie patients and their relatives are asked to rate hospitals under various headings including parking, hygiene and food quality on a scale of one, which is ‘poor’, to five, which is ‘excellent’.

The hospital awarded the ‘Michelin Star’ for food is St Luke’s Cancer Hospital in Dublin, with a 4.5 out of 5, or a 90% rating. Cavan General Hospital came in thirty second place. Receiving the worst reviews was The Mid-Western Regional Maternity in Limerick which came in last place in the hospital food chain nationally. 20 out of 52 major hospitals, or almost 40% of the total, scored on average less than three out of five in terms of food quality and service.

Just under 10,000 health consumers have now rated hospitals as part on the ‘Rate My Hospital’ facility since its launch in late 2006, making it by far the largest ever study conducted into patient satisfaction with the Irish hospital system.