Hospital offers free tasting of samples from its new menu
To mark the introduction of a new menu, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust will be offering free menu samples to visitors, staff and the public in the main entrance to Derriford Hospital on level 6 on Monday 3 June 2013.
The existing patient menu has evolved over the last three years, with small changes made as a result of feedback from patients, matrons and housekeeping staff as well as discontinued lines from the supplier.
A recent review by the Trust's Patient Feeding Group has provided the opportunity to start from scratch and develop a menu that better meets the needs of patients. The thorough review included nutritional assessment of recipes and dietary coding of the menu to ensure patients are able to make informed choices, a review of the full list of dishes available and tasting sessions for all new dishes by members of the group and ward staff. The compilation of the menu took into account quality, nutritional content, taste, appearance, colour, texture and cost.
Included in the meal options is a new range of wholesome soups which are freshly prepared on site every day. These include homemade pea and ham, mushroom, asparagus, and thick vegetable soups.
Patients, visitors, staff and the public are invited to the free tasting session of the new menu on Monday 3 June between 12 noon and 2pm. By offering samples of the food in this way, the Trust hopes to dispel the myth, particularly among those who haven’t tasted the food at Derriford Hospital recently, that hospital food is unpalatable.
Liz McGuffog, Service Lead for Hotel Services said: “A stay in hospital is an anxious time for all patients and this can adversely affect appetites and enjoyment of food so it is essential we do everything we can to improve the mealtime experience and encourage patients to eat. Nutrition, in conjunction with other initiatives such as protected mealtimes and the use of red lids and trays to ensure patients receive the support they need are vital to recovery.
“This display is about showing how much thought goes into what food is served to patients at our hospitals and how we serve it.”
An integral part of the review involved the Trust's dieticians who checked that all the selected dishes comply with the standards laid down in the Nutrition and Hydration Digest: Improving Outcomes through Food and Beverage Service, particularly in terms of meeting the nutritional recommendations for healthier eating for those people who are nutritionally unwell and the recommendations for higher energy dishes, suitable for people who are nutritionally vulnerable.
