"Lack of dietary information and choice of food"

Because this unit can't have pre-ordered menu, food was served from a trolley selection. Several patients in this unit weren't able to eat because the trolley food didn't have information from the kitchen about lactose or gluten with the food so several patients opted to eat nothing, although staff did try and guess but I think they guessed wrongly.

One of patients with an intolerance was very elderly so missing food was not good and most choices on trolley were gone when it got to her. Including fruit. She ended up with nothing I think. Also the tea time food on this ward was just a packet of unpalatable sandwiches and something with sugar like jelly or yoghurt - nothing else properly nutritious eg soup or even fruit- anyone with a gluten allergy would have not been able to eat properly from lunch (if they had any) til breakfast next day (20 hours).

No non-dairy alternatives to milk so a lactose intolerant patient couldn't even have a cup of tea either. While it is an acute unit, patients were there a long time waiting for beds so food as important to them as other patients. Might be coincidence but saw several patients with food issues in short time I was there.