Post by kickingfrog on Feb 15, 2011 15:18:51 GMT
Hospital Food 2005
Posted by Florence on 23/1/2005,
GF board
I have just had the opportunity to test how one of the main hospitals here copes with coeliac in-patients. I needed to go through a cardiac procedure and had be admitted, fortunately just for a day and a half. This was my first experience as an in-patient since being diagnosed as coeliac and I wondered how the gluten-free problem would be handled. The answer is - not at all well!
Even though I had specified my diet when they phoned about admission there was absolutely no provision for this. I had to fast for most of the first day but when they were handing out menu cards for the evening meal I mentioned my diet again.
They brought me a special dietary menu but it was intended for patients on a low protein or low salt diet, no mention whatsoever of gluten-free. Next morning I could not eat any of the bread or cereals they offered at breakfast time.
Eventually they got me some Rice Crispies (no idea if they were a suitable brand) and handed me an unopened Juvela GF loaf. No one had a clue about the bread needing to be refreshed or the necessity of avoiding contamination.
Realistically, I am not surprised. It would have been wiser to take in all my own food but in a way I wanted to see what they
To be fair, this ward was intended for short stay patients.
I assume that if you were there long enough things would improve. However, coeliac is something you cannot just turn off for a day or two.
I had the opportunity to speak to one of the senior nurses before I left and talked to her about the significance of being on a GF diet. Her only knowledge of coeliac came from the fact that a relative is a 'sufferer'.
I notice that the hospital handbook which they gave me on arrival states 'Hospital policy strongly discourages patients and their relatives from bringing perishable food into the Hospital for consumption on the premises' and 'Any special diets require authorisation from a dietician'.
Apart from this staff were very kind and helpful and I was well cared for, which I do appreciate.
I am posting this message just as matter of interest. My advice to anyone who is about to go into hospital is that they should speak to the actual dietician beforehand and ask for suitable food to be available. It might or might not happen!
***********
Posted by Florence on 23/1/2005,
GF board
I have just had the opportunity to test how one of the main hospitals here copes with coeliac in-patients. I needed to go through a cardiac procedure and had be admitted, fortunately just for a day and a half. This was my first experience as an in-patient since being diagnosed as coeliac and I wondered how the gluten-free problem would be handled. The answer is - not at all well!
Even though I had specified my diet when they phoned about admission there was absolutely no provision for this. I had to fast for most of the first day but when they were handing out menu cards for the evening meal I mentioned my diet again.
They brought me a special dietary menu but it was intended for patients on a low protein or low salt diet, no mention whatsoever of gluten-free. Next morning I could not eat any of the bread or cereals they offered at breakfast time.
Eventually they got me some Rice Crispies (no idea if they were a suitable brand) and handed me an unopened Juvela GF loaf. No one had a clue about the bread needing to be refreshed or the necessity of avoiding contamination.
Realistically, I am not surprised. It would have been wiser to take in all my own food but in a way I wanted to see what they
To be fair, this ward was intended for short stay patients.
I assume that if you were there long enough things would improve. However, coeliac is something you cannot just turn off for a day or two.
I had the opportunity to speak to one of the senior nurses before I left and talked to her about the significance of being on a GF diet. Her only knowledge of coeliac came from the fact that a relative is a 'sufferer'.
I notice that the hospital handbook which they gave me on arrival states 'Hospital policy strongly discourages patients and their relatives from bringing perishable food into the Hospital for consumption on the premises' and 'Any special diets require authorisation from a dietician'.
Apart from this staff were very kind and helpful and I was well cared for, which I do appreciate.
I am posting this message just as matter of interest. My advice to anyone who is about to go into hospital is that they should speak to the actual dietician beforehand and ask for suitable food to be available. It might or might not happen!
***********