21 MAY 2005, Page 19

Hospital makes you fat

From Ian Duke

Sir: Like Jessica Johnson (Letters, 14 May), I too have recently visited an A&E unit. The story was the same: vending machines packed with high-fat, high-sugar snacks.

Kingston Hospital defends its policy on the grounds that it is a ‘response to patients’ demands’ and that the patients’ environment guidance on which star ratings are assessed states, ‘Visitors should be able to access food and drink around the clock.’ Far from being joined up, the government’s policies on hospital services and national obesity trends seem far apart.

Ian Duke

Thames Ditton, Surrey