This is probably all that will happen, fuss until we forget about it (or not!) From the Edinburgh Evening News:
Health chief's fury over ERI food scare
IAN SWANSON
SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR
FURIOUS health chiefs today demanded action over alleged hygiene failures at the firm which supplies meals to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Brian Cavanagh, chairman of NHS Lothian, said he was appalled by the findings of a Channel 4 documentary about alleged practices at the Welsh food company.
The firm involved, Tillery Valley Foods, said today they had suspended 12 employees as a result of the broadcast and installed CCTV to monitor standards on the production line.
But Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm has also been urged to suspend the firm?s hospital contract as a result of the documentary screened last night.
Lothian NHS said they were seeking an urgent meeting with Consort, the private company which is responsible for catering at the infirmary under the controversial PFI contract.
Mr Cavanagh said: "I was appalled by the findings of Channel 4?s investigation at Tillery Valley Foods and I have written to the chairman of Consort, the company which supplies meals at the Royal Infirmary of
Edinburgh from Tillery Valley, seeking an urgent meeting.
"I want to ensure that he has taken immediate action on this disturbing issue.
"We expect patients at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh to get nutritious meals which have been prepared in a safe environment.
"The standard of food hygiene I saw in the programme fell far below what I regard as satisfactory and this is completely unacceptable."
Edinburgh South Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Pringle said he was also "absolutely appalled" after watching last night?s Channel 4 Dispatches programme which claimed Tillery Valley Foods flouted health regulations at its factory in South Wales.
TVF, part of the French catering giant Sodexho, is Britain?s biggest supplier of hospital meals and sends tons of pre-prepared foods 400 miles to Edinburgh every three days.
Mr Pringle today tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament demanding Mr Chisholm carry out an urgent inquiry into the allegations.
The motion also demanded that, in the short term, the Health Minister suspend the contract and introduce alternative arrangements to ensure patients received a "better standard of service".
Mr Pringle said: "I was absolutely appalled at the conditions portrayed by the programme. Even if only 50 per cent of what was said is true it is a terrible indictment on the company."
The documentary claimed to have discovered 120 incidents of unhygienic behaviour, including staff picking their noses while preparing meals and ignoring health and safety requirements to wear surgical gloves. It also claimed tests on samples said to have been taken from meals being prepared at the factory were found to have traces of e-coli.
Mr Pringle said: "If I was watching that in the ERI I would be saying to my relatives today ?Please bring me my food in because I?m not going to eat anything from that factory?."
TVF Managing director Michelle Hanson said: "We are appalled by the disgraceful behaviour of a very small number of staff at TVF who acted with a blatant disregard for the company?s strict policy regarding food hygiene.
"Twelve members of staff have been suspended as a result of the broadcast and are the subject of disciplinary action.
"Their actions do not reflect the very high standards adhered to by the remainder of our 450-strong staff."
She added that the firm had increased production line supervision and installed CCTV throughout the factory. And she said inspections carried out since the filming confirmed the company?s food safety procedures were "robust". Ms Hanson also said the firm was not convinced about the origins of the swab said to contain traces of e-coli or the procedures used in analysing it.
The Scottish Executive said the matter was for Lothian NHS.