Hospital food

When I had a hip replacement I was given a choice of 3 hospitals. I chose the nearest which happened to be a private hospital but which had an arrangement with the NHS. I had a private room and the food was excellent which was sad because I had very little appetite. I still feel a little guilty about the cost of this.
Recently I had an eye operation at a different NHS hospital. I only stayed overnight but the food was OK ie a ham sandwich, cottage pie, carrots and peas, followed by yoghurt and then cereal/toast for breakfast. I am not a fussy eater. I did not have to prepare it myself as with every other meal in my life so - luxury!

I have to say, and not disagreeing with what anyone else has said, that the last time I saw hospital food in our nearest hospital, it wasnt too bad. They use brand yogurts, and local ice cream tubs etc, which all help to provide at least some food that can be bought locally. It may not be homemade or hospital made food as such, but is very edible.

Good idea. Getting quotes/facts straight is also a good idea.

Moving on

She did not say that, LuckyDucky, as I have already stated.

Get your facts right please.

durham
You write confidently about hospital procedures; having read the posts and heard on radio, of appalling tales of insufficient nursing levels, (not their fault), would I be acceptable as a volunteer or would I be considered a well-meaning medically untrained volunteer?

I knew a confused, diabetic patient who went into hospital. I was told afterwards, her food and water were within reach. She didn't feed herself or drink The inevitable happened five years ago.

Please remember who said, "Let the NHS wither on the vine?" That lady woman would recognise her uncaring policies are still in place, if she were alive.

I agree, the food is awful on the wards and in the staff canteens. I expect its mainly down to cost. When our daughter was in for 48 hours after a csection we took food in for her. I expect many families who have the money and ability do the same but that as ever, leaves more vulnerable individuals with an inadequate diet.

A friend who was hospitalised in Greece for several days had her travelling companion present most of the time because no food was provided by the hospital and care such as washing etc also had to be provided to family/friends. I wouldn't want this country to move to open visiting hours. Being surrounded by noise and chatter with large family groups around the bed next to you isn't enjoyable.

I don't hear serious complaints about food in hospital, though. Only that it is bland and not hot.

JessM, I'm still upset about 24/7 family visitation! DS was recovering from open heart surgery (he was 9). Kids and babies were everywhere all day and night. It was the same in maternity wards (US) for me and my DD, too.

As for food, we brought McDonalds so he'd get strong enough ASAP. (And then he continued a heart healthy diet...)

Given the state of the NHS funding I don't think there is much prospect of more money being spent on food. I remember 20 years ago a friend who taught health visitors was in hospital. She said she'd calculated the calorie content of the food and it was not up her recommended energy intake. Taking in some appetising food is the best thing a relative can do - with the proviso that some patients have dietary restrictions.
I can understand why hospitals try to restrict visiting and IMO it should do more. I don't think it is appropriate to 4-5 visitors at a time, babies on beds and toddlers on the floor.

I think the NHS does a great job but my experience of hospital food - since the birth of my daughter in 1972 and on a couple of occasions since - is that it is unappetising and ghastly (apart from a very brief stay in a cottage hospital when my son was born).

I don't know how this should be resolved but I think it is really important that people who are ill have the very best food because they are at their lowest ebb and need building up. I'm sure it would save money in the long run by preventing re-admissions.

On all my visits to friends and relatives in hospitals here in Oxford ,for the last fifteen years, I can tell you that the food is truly terrible.
How sad this is when in the past it used to be so good.Cereals, a cooked breakfast and then toast and marmalade, used to be the norm, along with as many hot cups of tea that you wanted, 30 years ago.Food, especially when a patient is on the mend is so important, and if anybody doesn't have regular visitors now to provide that food, it's a poor lookout.
Good medical care is great, but should go hand in hand with good food to build you up and actual'care' as well, being kind and fetching a bedpan when a patient asks for it not half an hour later.

Are you sure, ethel? All wards have their own policies. If someone needs help in feeding carers are usually allowed to help. In fact, while helping my husband eat, I was often offered an apron and asked to help others. I refused, of course. No idea what you are going to catch, and my husband needed help anyway, although I would go and get someone if I saw anyone having trouble eating.
Quite often when the visitors were coming in, I would be going to the restaurant and they wondered what I was doing on the ward. I would tell them the policy and some of them asked to help, too.
Just look on NHS choices to see the policy. Every ward should have a written one, too.

In our local hospital no one is allowed to visit while patient have their meals so anyone wanting to go to feed an elderly relative would not be able to.

whitewave I would starve as I do not have any family.

When I broke my ankle in 2009 there was not an NHS bed available so I was in a private ward and the food and coffee were superb. That was all that was, the nursing care was non existent.

Aren't their families also allowed to stay all day, too? Can you imagine that in our hospitals.

Spanish patients are expected to provide their own food

Had an operation last year. Excellent care, and I'm well again. However food looked really horrible. I had been well warned by friends, so my relatives kept me going with fruit ,cheese, yoghurts and little sandwiches. I think what we have to remember is the fact that had I been at home I would have paid for my own food in any case. Perhaps we should look at the excellent medical care most of us receive for free, and be prepared to organise food ourselves, instead of expecting hospitals to cater for our individual tastes in food. Having said that I do realise that some patients will not be able to depend on a steady stream of visitors carrying food items.
I think we are very fortunate to receive excellent medical care for free.

Hi bonji, how were the meals plated and what were supposed to be they called?

I heard on the radio relatives had to bring food in
a) Because it was abysmal looked awful and tasted worse.
b) He/she had to stay to feed the relative as there weren't sufficient nurses to feed those who couldn't. So very

That's my kind of life! - who needs a house!

I had to be on a special diet when I was in hospital earlier this year and had porridge which was sticky for some reason but only just edible, I had a choice of yoghurt which was fine as it was a reasonable brand and custard (powdery) and soup which was powdery and lukewarm and as it cooled went gluey. Why don't they use tinned soup if they cant manage real stuff. It cant be much more expensive and if they buy catering size tins then it should be ecomonical. I did not have much appetite and was glad to be home. I never did get to try the main meals but as they were mainly spicy then I would not have liked them anyway

@Luckygirl - "I lived in salads and fruit."

You call that living?

Eight years ago I was in hospital for an operation. I have nothing but praise for the surgical and nursing staff and nothing but contempt for the dreadful catering. Before leaving I got a chance to eat in the canteen - it was run by the same caterers and was equally dreadful. Damn good thing my surgeon had told me to bring a few bottles of wine in with me... I had to teach a nurse how to use a cork-screw!

James Martin has been trying to improve hospital food Maybe you should contact him.

Our local hospital farms out lots of the operations to the local Nuffield where the food is like a good hotel - far far more than I could eat and far too rich. I lived in salads and fruit. I do not ever go to hotels now as I cannot cope with the rich food.