why is the food in hospitals not catered for special cases?

Question

Why are patients who cannot eat hard food and need to eat soft liquidy foods given sandwiches for a meal?

Answer 1

They do cater for special cases, as you put it. Sounds like just a c ock-up, bound to happen sometime given the thousands of meals they deliver each day, unless no-one asked for the right food.

When i was in having my jaw seen to, I received liquidised meals until I could chew again. Horrible, but enough to kep you going!

Answer 2

Along with the first breakfast you will be given a menu to choose your meals for the following day. I'm not suggesting that picky eaters will like any of the choices presented to them (taste or texture-wise). I've spent a lot of time in hospital over the years and I am always presented with a high calorie-high protein menu to choose from.

Where problems arise is if the patient suffers from dementia and is unable to properly communicate to the nurse what they want. They may not understand that they need to fill out the menu in order to get what they want, If you don't fill out the menu, they send you a generic meal that you may or may not like/be able to eat. If you aren't getting what you like, ask to speak to your nurse and dietician. Every hospital has dieticians on staff, and it's possible that the dietician may be able to place special orders for you if you are a finecky eater. I used to get an extra two snacks a day in between meals because I complained the portions weren't big enough,

Answer 3

Better change your preference for hospital. I was in Sharp Memorial last year and was amazed at how well they treat you.

They telephone you from the kitchen to take your order from the menu which is brought to you daily, and you can ask for special things which they may have available in the kitchen. They prepared a tofu stir fry, oriental style, for me on request.

If you feel like eating at other times they will prepare and bring to you just about anything you want for a snack, or a full meal, 24 hours a day.

Special instructions, such as a need for soft food, are recorded on their computer and they will discuss your order with you if necessary, when they telephone, to make sure your food is in keeping with your own tastes and your doctor's instructions.

Maybe you need to find a better hospital.

Answer 4

I work in an NHS hospital and they cater for loads of different dietry requirements such as low sodium, gluten free, soft food, halaal, vegetarian. There is an option on the menu sheet that needs to be ticked according to what you require. The nurses can make a mistake of course and offer the wrong meal to the wrong patient, but the option will certainly be there.

Answer 5

I can only assume it wasn't meant for that person and someone else got their meal.

How food works in hospitals is that in the morning, they come round with a form which you tick boxes on what you want to eat. They have different varieties of things such as diabetic, low fat etc. and your nurse will tell you want you are allowed to order. Obviously if you don't fancy the food you can get someone to nip down to the shop to buy a sandwich for you (like I did as the food was pants). But they do cater for every need.

Answer 6

I'm afraid the person above is wrong. You DO NOT get the person who left's food. YOu get a standard meal that is served. What if the preson who left ordered sugar on their cereal or whatever and a diabetic got it? Or a person received peanuts when they were allergic.

Hospital meals do give a choice but the choices are limited. A couple different entrees, desserts, etc. and that's it.

Answer 7

I was hospitalized for a week last year, and due to allergies to wheat, soy, eggs, dairy, and meat, I was fed iceburg lettuce and plain rice for the entire week-the hospital simply could not come up with anything else that didn't contain those ingredients. Despite knowing I was allergic to wheat (flour) they sent crackers and bread with every meal! Clueless. If you check the ingredients in hospital food, you will find it is full of all of the stuff the docs say we should avoid-unhealthy fats, artificial colors, artificial flavors, dyes, preservatives, etc. Too stupid for words. I had my tonsills taken out when I was 19, and was given a hamburger, corn, and french fries to eat right after. DUH??

Answer 8

I'm not sure about that. There's a lot of food offered - soups, milkshakes, etc. You have to appreciate how in debt NHS hospitals are and understaffed, etc - they're also giving us a free service, something you don't get in America and other countries - they have to pay hundreds for medical services/costs. We should think ourselves extremely lucky and stop complaining because Britain really is the best country to live in for a lot of things.

Answer 9

I spent a lot of time visiting in hospital the past two years and i can honestly say there were special menu's which catered for every individual need.

Answer 10

in our hospital you get a menu to fill in every day with the meal of your choice, but if you have just gone into hospital you will get the meal that the person who was in your bed before you had chosen.