Vegan or Vegetarian in Care or Hospital

It is some twelve hears since I retired, but prior to that one of my jobs in a large London hospital was taking the minutes at the Dietary Committee. This controlled everything to do ith providing meals for in-patients.

Even back then, there had to be so very many options - Vegetarian, Vegan, obviously special diets such as gluten, dairy free, etc. Then added to this, each of these also had to be suitable for Jewish and Muslim patients, etc. It was a nightmare, both for the in-house caterers and the nurses, who had to take time out of their nursing duties to serve these meals and then assist many patients to eat them.

A ward of 24 patients could involve as many as twelve or more different types of meals.

No doubt there are some essential diet points re diabetes, for example, but in my opinion getting the NHS fully operational again in treating patients is more important than the range of food on offer. Waiting 12 hours for A&E admission undoubtedly contributes to excess deaths.

Following an accident earlier this year, I have been visiting my local hospital as an outpatient fairly regularly. My appointment is often around lunchtime so go to the cafeteria for a cuppa. Healthy eating posters decorate the walls but are not matched by what is on offer to buy. The choices are pies, sausage rolls, toasties and cakes. I shudder to think what a coeliac would find to eat.

Having worked at that hospital myself for well over thirty years, I find myself feeling quite embarrassed by this. Surely, of all places, a hospital should be leaders in supplying healthy options for any dietary needs?

As an aside, this cafeteria is part of a chain. Previously it was run by the WRVS who were able to rustle up freshly made food and whose awareness of diets and general healthy food seemed much better.