Food hygiene is so poor in more than 500 hospitals , care homes and nurseries that they have been ordered to take action to improve . More than 250 kitchens require major or urgent improvement after being rated one-star or lower , the standard of hygiene usually associated with the worst kebab vans . It raises fears that patients , children and the elderly risk illness from meals served by public service kitchens and sparks calls for urgent action to address the problem . More than 250 kitchens require major or urgent improvement after being rated one-star or lower , the standard of hygiene usually associated with the worst kebab vans . Under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme , establishments preparing and serving food are given a star rating for hygiene . Public health minister Jane Ellison said it 'provides transparency to consumers on hygiene standards in places where they eat or buy food ' . The best rated sites are given five stars and a named 'very good ' . Four stars awarded for 'good ' levels of hygiene , and three stars for being 'generally satisfactory ' . However , two stars mean improvement is required , one star means 'major improvement required ' and zero stars suggests 'urgent action required ' . According to figures released in Parliament , more than 500 hospitals , childcare and caring premises have been given two or fewer stars . The Food Standards Agency says its ratings scheme 'will help you choose where to eat out or shop for food ' It includes 242 given two stars , 255 one star and six given no stars at all . A further 1,467 are only 'generally satisfactory ' . The ratings are awarded by council inspectors . Luciana Berger , Labour 's shadow public health minister , said : 'It is not acceptable that over 500 hospitals , childcare and caring premises have been told to improve their food hygiene . 'Everyone using these public services should have the right to expect food that has been prepared safely , in a clean environment . 'The Government must hold these premises to account on the urgent action they must now take to address these serious failings in standards . ' Lciana Berger , Labour 's shadow public health minister , said was 'not acceptable ' that over 500 hospitals , childcare and caring premises have been told to improve their food hygiene . The Food Standards Agency says its ratings scheme 'will help you choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving you information about the hygiene standards in restaurants , pubs , cafes , takeaways , hotels , and other places you eat out ' . But people admitted to hospital will not have the same degree of choice , and most will be forced to eat the meals served or rely on friends and family to boy food from outside . A Department of Health spokesman said : 'These figures show 98.6 per cent of kitchens in hospitals and care facilities are performing well – the second highest number of all industries in the UK . However there are a small number that need to improve and we expect local services to take strong action on this . ' At the inspection , the officer will check : . * how hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared , cooked , re-heated , cooled and stored . * the condition of the structure of the buildings – the cleanliness , layout , lighting , ventilation and other facilities . * how the business manages what it does to make sure food is safe and so that the officer can be confident standards will be maintained in the future . The hygiene standards found at the time of inspection are then rated on a scale . At the bottom of the scale is ' 0 ' – this means urgent improvement is required . At the top of the scale is ' 5 ' – this means the hygiene standards are very good . Source : food.gov.uk .
EXCLUSIVE : Patients and elderly risk illness from public service kitchens . 242 given two stars , 255 one star and 6 sites awarded no stars at all . Suggests hygiene levels usually associated with the worst kebab vans . Labour says it is unacceptable that so many sites have poor food hygiene .