A hospital is planning to stop cooking meals on its premises and prepare its food 25 miles away.

Bosses at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust have launched a consultation on proposals for the future of catering services at Southlands Hospital in Shoreham.

The plans involve transferring the supply of all patient menu items to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester so no preparation is undertaken at Southlands.

The main kitchen and associated facilities would also be closed and the manned restaurant service would cease.

It will be replaced with a range of vending products including hot and cold snacks, confectionery and hot and cold drinks.

The plans will lead to the loss of six full time staffing positions, saving the trust around £145,000 a year.

Trust director of strategy Nick Fox said: “Ensuring patients receive healthy, nutritious meals is an essential part of the care we provide.

“There has been a long tradition of excellent food at St Richard's Hospital based on a system where freshly prepared food is then chilled before it is taken to ward kitchens.

“It can then be prepared as close as possible to patients who are able to choose from a selection of dishes, which are then served to them by one of our housekeepers.

“This approach is now being extended to patients at Southlands Hospital.

“Staff and visitors will enjoy a similar system supported out of hours by a chilled vending service.

“We believe this approach is in the best interests of our patients, their relatives and staff.”

The trust has recently ended a separate consultation on long term plans to transfer all inpatient services at Shoreham to Worthing Hospital although day surgery cases and appointments will continue.

Managers say the plans for the restaurant are not linked to the proposals for the transfer.