Post by kickingfrog on Feb 14, 2011 18:51:25 GMT
Problems with getting GF food in NHS Hospitals
****************************************************
Email from Graham Jacob:
As I mentioned ........
...hospitals should meet the individual
needs of all patients - regardless of how they arise.
You may be interested to know that the proposed Standard for food -
currently out for consultation - includes that:-
'patient's individual nutritional, personal and clinical dietary
requirements are met' - if adopted, this will form part of the basis
against which hospital food services are inspected.
I think we have recognised that the existing advice/guidance available to
hospital caterers about gluten free diets may be inadequate and we will
provide this in due course. I would hope that hospital
dietitians/nutritionists will be aware of the issues - though I think it is
fair to say that the extent of gluten intolerance is proably greater than
even Coelaic UK once believed to be the case - the science/evidence is
changing all the time.
I think - and Norman* (sic) agreed - that there is also a certain onus on
individuals to bring their needs to the attention of the hospital as soon
as possible. If it is a planned admission, then the individual should be
contacting the hospital's catering manager in advance to notify date of
admission/ward number etc or, if an unplanned admisison, to let nursing
staff know. This will help ensure appropriate foods etc are available.
Regards
Graham Jacob
Hospitality Services
NHS Estates
1 South
Trevelyan Square
Boar Lane
Leeds
LS1 6AE
Direct Line: 0113 254 7052
Main Switch: 0113 254 7000
Main Fax: 0113 254 7173
email:
Graham.Jacob@doh.gsi.gov.uk
* Norma , dietitian for CUK.
************************************
From Eileen on GF board
I did exactly as Graham Jacob recommends and informed the hospital of my GF diet. The Admissions Department highlighted 'Coeliac Disease - gluten free diet necessary' on my notes. I was in hospital for 9 days and on most of these, there was only a jacket potato or cheese salad available for me. Twice I was told I could have scrambled egg, chips and baked beans!
On one occasion they gave me a spinach/cheese/mushroom meal which the kitchen confirmed was GF. However, after eating most of it, I realised the tiny beans therein were, in fact, pearl barley. Naturally I pointed out their mistake and an Incident Form was completed. They took it very seriously.
A nurse then came to me as asked me if I would like some Fybogel!
This particular Trust feeds the Childrens' Hospital too and I find that very worrying indeed.
****************************
From Lyn on GF board
The only experience on GFD I have had in NHS hospital is as a diagnosed coeliac day patient after a gastro/biopsy to confirm villi had regrown having been GF for nearly two years.
I was asked if I would like a cup of tea & sandwich at the given time afterwards (like the other patients)
Said I would love tea but explained I was not allowed the sandwich as I was a coeliac & therefore GF (I had written on my notes in space for known allergies 'gluten').
I was then given the cup of tea with an ordinary biscuit!
OK this is a small example of minor inconvenience for me but why could I not have a safe snack?
Having gone all that time nil by mouth prior to the gastro I was pretty hungry!
***********************************
Hospital food and Graham Jacobs
Posted by Cassie M on 13/10/2005
GF board
Bearing in mind that there seems to be a lot of us going into hospital for one thing or another lately i thought it may be prudent to put the details of the Dept of Health on here if you want to contact them.
.................
Written correspondence:
The Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NL
Telephone:
0207 210 4850 (line open from 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday)
Email:
Send emails to the Department of Health at dhmail@doh.gsi.gov.uk
.................................................
As i was thwarted in my liasons with Mr Graham Jacobs by the Chief Exec of CUK Andrew Ladds a couple of years ago whilst negotiating GF meals being put onto the NHS menus in hospitals i think it's only fair that you are able to contact this man personally and tell him that CUK STILL haven't come up with anything and "can he please help"? Because i can see with the usual lethargy of CUK that in ten years time we'll still all be in the same predicament that we're in now when entering an NHS hospital and no food for us to eat. (although the NHS are careful to make sure lifestyle choice diets are catered for ofcourse)
Here's his email address: Graham.Jacob@dh.gsi.gov.uk or graham.Jacob@estates.nhs.uk
This is the guy responsible for :
Objectives for assurance schemes
Organic food objectives
UK and local supplier objectives
Fair treatment of suppliers objectives
Fair trade food objectives
Healthier eating objectives
Food hygiene objectives
Objectives for ethnic, cultural and religious diets
Objectives for minimising waste
Objectives for reducing vehicle emissions in food delivery
Other environmental objectives
Objectives for safety, welfare and training
Capacity of Food and Catering Contractors
Information from Supplier
if you tell him your name, which hospital and ward and when you're expected to go in and the kind of treatment you are expecting to get he may just start to realise the importance of what has been said to him for the past 3 years. Tell him a medical diet is more important than a cultural, ethnic or religious diet, and also comes under healthier eating objectives.
****************
****************************************************
Email from Graham Jacob:
As I mentioned ........
...hospitals should meet the individual
needs of all patients - regardless of how they arise.
You may be interested to know that the proposed Standard for food -
currently out for consultation - includes that:-
'patient's individual nutritional, personal and clinical dietary
requirements are met' - if adopted, this will form part of the basis
against which hospital food services are inspected.
I think we have recognised that the existing advice/guidance available to
hospital caterers about gluten free diets may be inadequate and we will
provide this in due course. I would hope that hospital
dietitians/nutritionists will be aware of the issues - though I think it is
fair to say that the extent of gluten intolerance is proably greater than
even Coelaic UK once believed to be the case - the science/evidence is
changing all the time.
I think - and Norman* (sic) agreed - that there is also a certain onus on
individuals to bring their needs to the attention of the hospital as soon
as possible. If it is a planned admission, then the individual should be
contacting the hospital's catering manager in advance to notify date of
admission/ward number etc or, if an unplanned admisison, to let nursing
staff know. This will help ensure appropriate foods etc are available.
Regards
Graham Jacob
Hospitality Services
NHS Estates
1 South
Trevelyan Square
Boar Lane
Leeds
LS1 6AE
Direct Line: 0113 254 7052
Main Switch: 0113 254 7000
Main Fax: 0113 254 7173
email:
Graham.Jacob@doh.gsi.gov.uk
* Norma , dietitian for CUK.
************************************
From Eileen on GF board
I did exactly as Graham Jacob recommends and informed the hospital of my GF diet. The Admissions Department highlighted 'Coeliac Disease - gluten free diet necessary' on my notes. I was in hospital for 9 days and on most of these, there was only a jacket potato or cheese salad available for me. Twice I was told I could have scrambled egg, chips and baked beans!
On one occasion they gave me a spinach/cheese/mushroom meal which the kitchen confirmed was GF. However, after eating most of it, I realised the tiny beans therein were, in fact, pearl barley. Naturally I pointed out their mistake and an Incident Form was completed. They took it very seriously.
A nurse then came to me as asked me if I would like some Fybogel!
This particular Trust feeds the Childrens' Hospital too and I find that very worrying indeed.
****************************
From Lyn on GF board
The only experience on GFD I have had in NHS hospital is as a diagnosed coeliac day patient after a gastro/biopsy to confirm villi had regrown having been GF for nearly two years.
I was asked if I would like a cup of tea & sandwich at the given time afterwards (like the other patients)
Said I would love tea but explained I was not allowed the sandwich as I was a coeliac & therefore GF (I had written on my notes in space for known allergies 'gluten').
I was then given the cup of tea with an ordinary biscuit!
OK this is a small example of minor inconvenience for me but why could I not have a safe snack?
Having gone all that time nil by mouth prior to the gastro I was pretty hungry!
***********************************
Hospital food and Graham Jacobs
Posted by Cassie M on 13/10/2005
GF board
Bearing in mind that there seems to be a lot of us going into hospital for one thing or another lately i thought it may be prudent to put the details of the Dept of Health on here if you want to contact them.
.................
Written correspondence:
The Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NL
Telephone:
0207 210 4850 (line open from 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday)
Email:
Send emails to the Department of Health at dhmail@doh.gsi.gov.uk
.................................................
As i was thwarted in my liasons with Mr Graham Jacobs by the Chief Exec of CUK Andrew Ladds a couple of years ago whilst negotiating GF meals being put onto the NHS menus in hospitals i think it's only fair that you are able to contact this man personally and tell him that CUK STILL haven't come up with anything and "can he please help"? Because i can see with the usual lethargy of CUK that in ten years time we'll still all be in the same predicament that we're in now when entering an NHS hospital and no food for us to eat. (although the NHS are careful to make sure lifestyle choice diets are catered for ofcourse)
Here's his email address: Graham.Jacob@dh.gsi.gov.uk or graham.Jacob@estates.nhs.uk
This is the guy responsible for :
Objectives for assurance schemes
Organic food objectives
UK and local supplier objectives
Fair treatment of suppliers objectives
Fair trade food objectives
Healthier eating objectives
Food hygiene objectives
Objectives for ethnic, cultural and religious diets
Objectives for minimising waste
Objectives for reducing vehicle emissions in food delivery
Other environmental objectives
Objectives for safety, welfare and training
Capacity of Food and Catering Contractors
Information from Supplier
if you tell him your name, which hospital and ward and when you're expected to go in and the kind of treatment you are expecting to get he may just start to realise the importance of what has been said to him for the past 3 years. Tell him a medical diet is more important than a cultural, ethnic or religious diet, and also comes under healthier eating objectives.
****************