EX-Masterchef host Loyd Grossman's aims to improve hospital food have been dealt a blow on the Isle of Wight.

The Island's cash-strapped healthcare NHS trust can't afford to bring in new measures - including Grossman's ideas - to improve food at St Mary's Hospital, Newport.

Under the national plans, the trust was required to introduce at least three new dishes a day by December this year, called Leading Chef dishes.

Trust chief executive Graham Elderfield, said: "We can't afford to implement this in the current year."

The plans to improve hospital meals, costing £107,000-a-year, will now form part of the trust's bids to the NHS regionally next April.

As well as the Leading Chef dishes costing £52,000-a-year, the trust board heard that the improvements would include the provision of a hot meal in the evening at weekends (£41,160), a ward kitchen service (£11,793), a snack box trial (£1,092), and a new menu design (£1,790).

Non-executive board member Linda Ovnik said: "I think there is something obscene about this when you consider our financial situation. Do you think Michelin stars are going to be added to the hospital star ratings?

"As long as we provide wholesome, nutritional meals, I don't see a problem."

The board heard that a recent study showed that 79 percent of patients surveyed at St Mary's felt the standard of the meal service was acceptable.

Trust chairman Allan Munds, said: "Often people prefer falling back on something simple to eat when they are in hospital."

Members backed the improvements suggested, but ackowledged the funds were not currently available to carry them through.