"Amazing staff, poor quality food"

The Poor Quality of the Food:

Last year I was admitted to the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh for major surgery. Due to post op complications I was a patient in HDU & Ward 107.  I also had several short stay admissions to Ward 107. 

During all my admissions at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh I have never experienced such poor food. The quality, presentation and taste was totally dreadful. Sometimes it was very difficult to identify what was actually on your plate or to tie it up with what you had pre-ordered the day before. The food was also stone cold 95% of the time. I raised this on numerous occasions with clinical & nursing staff and importantly the dietetic team. However the response was always the same, that they knew it wasn't very good.  I always understood that one of the key factors believed to facilitate patient recovery is food which is tasty, appealing to the eye, nutritious and where appropriate warm/hot. Sadly this did not apply to my food as it was being transported on a daily basis from somewhere in southern England. I guess this is potentially one of the outcomes or downsides from what was probably one of the Trust's required efficiency savings? Cheap poor quality food may save money although when balanced against patient recovery whoever thought this was an appropriate idea?

Once transferred to my local District General Hospital and on discharge due to the quality of the food I was having I have put on a stone and a half in weight in three months. The food at my local District General was/is second to none - excellent quality, nutritious, plentiful and when appropriate always hot. The catering service have invested in amazing trolleys where one half of the tray holding your food is piping hot and the other side is chilled - for patients this is wonderful. Food served in a ward setting that is actually edible and enjoyed.

My concerns are then directed to the Catering Department Management Team in Edinburgh - If other hospitals in Scotland can provide nutritious, appealing, tasty and where appropriate hot food to their patients, why can the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh not do this?

 

Staffing at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh HDU & Ward 107:

I would like to take this opportunity to advise that at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh the surgical, clinical, nursing, AHP's and various support staff groups in both HDU & Ward 107 were second to none. What was a number of very stressful and worrying admissions for me was made more bearable due the staff groups mentioned above. Their commitment to their patients, coupled with their approachability, empathy and the caring nature they demonstrated every single day was unbelievable. They were in short totally amazing and their kindness will never be forgotten.

To summarise I would score my patient experience as follows:

1) The staff involved in my care & treatment = 15/10.

A special shout out goes to Miss Adair, Professor Wigmore, the HPB Specialist Nurses and Dionne Housekeeper Ward 107.

2) The Food provided to patients = 2/10. A score which I would consider generous given my personal experience.

3) The wider NHS = 15/10, we are exceptionally lucky to have such resources and highly trained staff available to treat our clinical & nursing needs.

I do hope these comments are useful and that they are used, where appropriate, to drive service changes that will benefit the health and wellbeing of the patients admitted to the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh.