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Care Opinion

Menu improvement

Posted By allergy-prone

"Menu improvement"

About: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital / Surgical Services

(as the patient),

Recently I was admitted for a few days, but upon my admission it was the afternoon, so the catering staff had already taken patients' orders for meals. Therefore, that night and the next day (day 2) I was served what was listed on the cards accompanying the meals as the ‘default menu’.

Thank you for including full-cream milk on the default menu rather than low-fat varieties, but I do want to know why you have white bread rather than wholemeal bread on the default menu. If people want to choose white bread, of course they should be allowed to, but why is this seemingly unhealthy option forced upon patients who have no choice about their meals? I felt I was faced with eating it, or going hungry - so at breakfast I ate the two slices of white I was given as the Cornflakes and fruit cup also included wasn't enough food for me (I am underweight). Fortunately, I was able to later place my meals order for day 3 when the staff came around, but then they missed taking my order on day 3 for the following day 4 so again I was served white bread that day.

I ended up constipated for my hospital stay.

Please consider putting wholemeal on the default menu instead.

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Responses

Response from Janet Zagari, Executive Director, Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group 2 years ago
Janet Zagari
Executive Director,
Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group

Submitted on 16/02/2022 at 2:55 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 2:59 PM

picture of Janet Zagari

Dear allergy-prone,

Thank you for your feedback about the meals provided to you during your recent admission to one of our surgical wards.

With regard to your query about the regular menu providing white bread rather than wholemeal bread, our Dietetics and Nutrition Department advises that the white bread we serve is a high fibre option that provides 5.6 grams of fibre per two slices of bread. The regular meals that we provide to patients who have been admitted after the meal order deadlines, have been selected to ensure a research based balanced diet, with adequate fibre, that reduces the risk of food intolerances and are most popular with patients.

Catering staff try to liaise with patients a few times during the day to obtain preferred menu choices however it is not always possible as patients are not always in their rooms at those times. For patients who suffer from known allergies, we have a very reliable procedure to ensure that their dietary needs are met. Should a patient require an alternative menu option or additional food, nursing staff or the staff serving the meal are able to respond to these needs.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for hospitalised patients to experience constipation, which is generally attributable to decreased activity and the side effects of some medications and is monitored by the nursing staff during daily assessment.

I do hope that we have been able to address your concerns and that you are recovering well.

Warm regards

Janet

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