Hospital meal funding in NHS Ayrshire and Arran has been branded inadequate by MSP Jamie Greene.

This follows reports showing that NHS Ayrshire and Arran spends just £3.20 on food and drink per day per patient.

The report also highlighted that 50 per cent of its food was sourced outside the UK.

Jamie Greene said: “NHS Ayrshire and Arran have experienced serious budgetary constraints in the last couple of years which has led to problems.

“Patients deserve a better standard of food than they are currently getting.”

“I would expect Shona Robison [Health Secretary] to investigate this immediately and provide an answer to parliament as to why so little funding is been given.”

A spokesman at NHS Ayrshire & Arran has said the board provided patients with “high quality and nutritionally-balanced meals, based on a wide menu choice, at an average cost of £3.20 a day”.