Complaints about staff attitude and the quality of patients’ meals on a stroke rehabilitation ward at St Luke’s Hospital, Bradford have been investigated by the Government watchdog, the Care Quality Commission.

It comes as a report by the independent regulator of health and social care in England found patients were positive about staff, but raised concerns over “inconsistencies in how patient's dietary requirements and fluid needs were being monitored”.

“We conducted this inspection in response to information about the provision of care on ward F6 at St Luke’s hospital,” the report says.

Ward F6 is a stroke and neurology rehabilitation ward. “The majority of the patients we spoke with were positive about their experiences, but there were mixed feelings about the standard of the food,” the report continued.

“In relation to nutrition and fluid balance monitoring, we found inconsistencies in how patient's dietary requirements and fluid needs were being monitored. In addition, there were inconsistencies in how paperwork was used and staff understanding in terms of ward protocol was variable.

“We spoke with seven patients in total. The first patient had no complaints and said the ‘care was lovely.’ “A second patient we spoke with was happy with the care they had received and the third said the nurses were ‘the best they’d come across.’ “A person’s relative we spoke with was complimentary of the care provided and said “staff were fantastic.” However, three patients felt the standard of the meals provided was not good, but another patient felt the food was acceptable.

Staff were deemed to be polite and attentive and certain risk assessment processes were accurately completed which indicated that patients were being regularly assessed.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust said an action plan had been put in place in response to any criticism, adding: “We are pleased with the results from the report. CQC inspectors found the majority of patients were very positive about their experiences.”