Re: Hospital Food

For an elderly patient with dementia who couldnt cut her own food and had a compromised swallowing reflex being given a whole pork chop on one ocassion and a whole sausage on another is not something to be 'bloody thankful' for

Had she attempted to eat it the chop or sausage could have killed her.
Staff were made aware of the problem on several occasions but did nothing to help and relatives often found the food tray untouched. ( mother in law)

Hospital Kingston upon Thames.

A diabetic paitent being left without food for over 24 hours who had to phone relatives to bring her in food was told that staff couldnt arrange anything. Menus/food was not their responsibility.
Also not something to be 'bloody thankful'for..

St Georges Hospital Tooting. (2015 my mother)

Re: Hospital Food

Touch wood, I haven't had a stay in a hospital since 1968, so I'm not really qualified to comment on the food.
However, when Mum was in and out fairly frequently before she died in 2014, I used to help her tick off her choices on the menu's they used to bring round each day. I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of choice offered, and thought the meals were quite good. Good sized portions too.

Cass, your comments about giving whole chops etc to patients is a valuable comment. Just a little bit of thought would so help some patients.
I remember that sort of thing in the care home I worked in.
I know Steve remarked in one of his posts that good carers do not get 'attached' to the people they look after, so in that case I was probably no good at my job then, because I loved some of the oldies.
One particular darling old chap, had very little sight left and was deaf as well, and they would plonk a plateful of food in front of him and clear off. He did not even know where his plate was let alone what he was eating that day. I always used to look out for him and cut his food up and tell him what was on his plate even saying things like "potatoes on your right, meat on the left" etc. I know he appreciated it.
I was really upset when he eventually died.

Re: Hospital Food

Hi

Hospitals can be very bad for your health, food hygiene wise.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-n...wales-34176857

I would not eat in a hospital until I had looked up it's Food Hygiene Rating.

I have known some very bad ones.

Re: Hospital Food

In hospitals, They try to provide healthy and good food.

Re: Hospital Food

I was in hospital on Merseyside at Christmas 2011 from Christmas eve until end of January 2012 with this stroke and, a broken leg sustained on day I had the stroke (as I tried to get up from the kitchen floor where the stroke dropped me I broke the leg).
In my opinion the food was poor. Christmas lunch awful, will never forget that.
Sandwiches when I ordered them had no butter on them .. toast at breakfast was like chewing cardboard.
I gathered the meals were from some company called 'Steamlicious' .. something like that. It was brought in and reheated in the hospital. No idea where the sandwiches came from. But God rot the place.
It is true that my stroke had altered my senses of both taste and smell so that many things I'd previously enjoyed made me nauseated. I still struggle with food for that reason, though it is a bit improved.
But even so, I could see no excuse for the food dished up in that hospital.
Apart from the actual food, the presentation would do nothing to 'tickle' a jaded appetite. Neither would the stained 'uniforms' of the staff serving the food. Soup was the best bet and hope the server's thumb wasn't in it when it was brought. I lost quite some weight in that hell hole.

Re: Hospital Food

In my part of Aus -
public hospital food ...... bland, tiny, crappy
private hospital food .... almost "fine dining" !

Re: Hospital Food

I believe you. Just a few miles from the hospital I was in is a 'private' hospital. quite a few people who had been in there told me of the 'hotel service' there. Nice food, nicely presented and served. Even a 'wine list' for those patients who's condition allowed a glass of wine.
However, I'll tell you something else .. they might have been dining well, but were they unfortunate enough to suffer an emergency in there (post op bleed, that sort of thing) .. guess what .. 999 .. and the ambulance brought them to the hospital in which I worked in order that the balls up in the private joint could be put right.
I guess one takes one's choice, fab food in the posh place or better surgical medical and emergency care among the peasants in the big hospital up the road.

If ever I am able to choose (and I hope never to be in hospital again) I would have the major 'job' done in the District General Hospital. Then, I'd go recuperate in the private joint down the road in a fancy room with me wine list and fancy menu.

Re: Hospital Food

Good point.
Although, simple stuff (not likely to have complications) I'll opt for 'Private' every time - AND no waiting list, which can be lengthy in Public.

Re: Hospital Food

I have been in hospital a few times in the past 6 months. I am a very low weight and have digestion issues, can't digest fats. I don't eat meat either, so was limited. I ordered a baked potato for most meals, usually eaten at home with some cottage cheese. I asked if they could perhaps get cottage cheese, but was told its not usual. I was given a sugary strawberry yogurt instead. I then requested could I have some sort of green veg, with the potato, but was told that wasn't part of my meal. I thought a solution might be to order the cottage cheese salad with a baked potato, then I could mix and match, but then that was 2 meals apparently and the rules said only tick one meal box.
I wouldn't mind but the staff were constantly badgering me to eat more to gain weight.