An investigation in Ireland revealed a number of hospital food-service complaints — including elderly patients going without food, dementia and stroke victims left to feed themselves and a coeliac given frozen gluten-free bread, according to an article on the Irish Independent website.

Nutritionists say the high-fat, high-calorie food still offered in hospitals absolutely "beggars belief," the article said. Irish hospitals cut more than €9 million from food service budgets in the last two years.

University Hospital Galway (UHG) received the most complaints, 35 between January 1, 2011, and March 1, 2014.

University Hospital Limerick (UHL) received seven complaints in the period investigated — three for cases where food had been left on the bed of elderly patients unable to feed themselves.

"We are not happy with the way Dad was treated in some respects. Staff did not know how to handle somebody with dementia, food was left on tray at end of bed," a family member said in a complaint.

The Mater Hospital in Dublin received 22 complaints but the hospital refused to release copies of these, as did St Vincent's Hospital.

Irish Patients Association (IPA) official, Stephen McMahon, said complaints reported were "just the tip of the iceberg" given that the majority of Irish patients with a problem opt not to make a complaint.

Read the article.