My wife has been in hospital since 2013 with a degenerative brain disorder (undiagnosed) which has left her unable to communicate with us in any meaningful way. One of the many side-effects of her condition is dysphagia, which caused the hospital to put her on a texture B dysphagia diet. Earlier this year she was transferred to a hospital closer to us. I was informed by a nurse, 6 weeks in to her stay at the new hospital, that my wife had been given the same meal (lunch and dinner) for 6 weeks. It was a kind of chicken gruel. When I asked the ward nurses why they had not acted on this I was told to contact the dietician, which I duly did. The Dietician was appalled and apologised, but hinted that this one meal could be the only texture B meal available at the hospital. Speech Therapy were called in to do a swallow test and it was decided that my wife could move up to a texture C diet. I did find this odd, particularly following the conversation with the dietician, and the fact that the first hospital had my wife on texture B for some 10 months.
My wife has been on a texture C diet since early spring this year. There is a set menu for this diet, which consists of 7 meals for lunch and the identical 7 meals for supper. The same 7 meals have appeared on the menu now for some 6 months. I am occasionally given these menus to fill out for my wife as she is unable to do so. I always put a line through all the meals for lunchtime as they are far too large for that time of the day (I write underneath, “Soup, if possible”). I am not at the lunches, but I am lead to believe that the large meals come up more often than not, and very occasionally my wife gets soup or a yogurt. Of the 7 meals, I routinely score out two which my wife has found particularly distasteful - this leaves 5 choices, which I rotate to try and make it more pleasing.
Two things to mention: the menus I fill out are routinely ignored; the last three nights have all seen the SAME meal arrive. Secondly, is it acceptable in the 21st century to be limited to a choice of the same 5 meals EVERY day for nigh on 6 months?
And, why is it not the case that when concerns are raised with nursing staff that they do not simply take up your case? I get sympathetic nods and I am given phone numbers, or a complaints form. These are my immediate professional contacts, and they should know the system better than a lay person like me. They should sort the matter out. The dietician recently informed me that she would look into the matter, and I should contact catering. I work full-time in extremely stressful circumstances, why is the onus on me?
"Hospital food"
About: Southern General Hospital / General Medicine Southern General Hospital General Medicine G51 4TF University Hospital Hairmyres / Ear, Nose & Throat University Hospital Hairmyres Ear, Nose & Throat G75 8RG
Posted by Disheartened (as ),
Do you have a similar story to tell?
Tell your story & make a difference ››
Responses
See more responses from Paul Cannon
See more responses from Susan Friel
See more responses from Joan James
See more responses from Craig White
See more responses from Pauline Downie