A crisis-hit NHS trust has been forced to stop serving salads to patients because hospitals can no longer afford them.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust scrapped the healthy food option after telling suppliers they are so much in debt they cannot pay them until April.
A leaked memo revealed how the situation had become so bad at the cash-strapped hospitals they could no longer provide the cold food items on menus.
Communications officer David Burrows said in the memo: “Unfortunately, our current sandwich supplier has not accepted these terms.
“As a result, we will be unable to provide sandwiches and salads for patients or in our commercial outlets.”
The trust is currently experiencing a severe cash flow problem as it attempts to reduce debts within this financial year. It has been told to keep the deficit down to £5.9 million by the end of March, but it is feared actual debt may rocket to £10 million.
But hospital visitors have reacted with anger to the news on social media and said it highlighted the “dire situation facing a failing NHS.”
Sam Arnold wrote: “This is just another example of the dire situation facing a failing NHS. Our health service is in crisis and I worry for its future.
“What hope do we have when they cannot even afford to provide a patient with a cheese sandwich or a simple salad.”
