Hospital food, again

[ailbhe]

A friend's toddler is in hospital far, far away from me, and over the course of two brief hospital stays in the paediatric wards, they've discovered this about the food:

Parents staying with their infants and toddlers are not catered for at all. There are vending machines selling crisps and chocolate, and a gift shop selling boxes of chocolates and biscuits. There is a kitchen with facilities for making tea, coffee, and glasses of tap water.

In January, the mother asked for some fresh fruit for her recuperating toddler, instead of the "stodgy pie thing & custard" normally provided as the last course in a meal. She was told that the hospital did not provide fresh food, but one of the nurses gave her some fruit from her own lunchbox. She was also given a low-fat yoghurt to feed her one-year-old, and although she asked for a full-fat one, they were unable to provide it.

This visit, her toddler was aslepp at lunchtime, so her lunch was given to another child's parent. when she woke hungry, a nurse gave made her some toast, and gave her a low-fat yoghurt, and a banana one of the staff had brought in for their own lunch.

She has heard a rumour that there's a cafe in the hospital but was unable to discover where it was while she was in there, in spite of asking.

And what was this toddler supposed to be recovering from?

Some unidentified gastric disorder.

That's right, never mind coping with mere intolerances, they can't find palatable food for people who are in hospital specifically for a tummy upset. The child wasn't put on a special diet of any kind, there was no medical recommendation to avoid any foods, but I know from experience that making a pukey baby eat isn't easy even when you have a whole houseful of favourite, nutritious, non-irritating foods.

When I was a sick child, my mother fed me meals on trays, with pretty crockery, and usually a piece of fruit fanned out in wedges to look like a flower. Light, attractive, palatable meals of fresh ingredients.

There has got to be a way to get this into hospitals without bankrupting anyone.

I'd love to hear a report of food in a private hospital in the UK, because I know Dublin and Galway hospital food isn't much better, though I think Cork might be generally ok (I haven't heard complaints, at least).

Comments

[astrogeek.livejournal.com]

When my mum was in a private hospital for a knee op (5 year waiting list for NHS) they had a full restaurant style menu you could order off any time between 7am and 9pm. And you could order a meal for your visitors too. Of course, you had to pay full restaurant prices though - it came itemised on the bill, like you'd get if you ordered room service in a hotel.