"Freeman Hospital food served on wards to inpatients"

Having been transferred to the Freeman Hospital I was very pleased to be going to a hospital with a great reputation. While I feel the medical treatment was of a very high standard I was utterly appalled at the "food" served to inpatients on the wards. I felt there was a complete lack of variety for those with special dietary needs (myself being a vegetarian) and a lack of quality across all items on the menu. I even saw foods served to patients with allergies that contradicted all the directions the catering staff had been given. As a vegetarian my food choice was limited to one item on the daily menu; a lot of which I found to be of a very poor standard. In the end I found myself relying on buying items from The Chattery restaurant (which I think is overpriced and also of poor quality) and visitors bringing food in for me.

I expressed my concerns to some of the nursing staff on my ward and they agreed with me, I assumed from the tone of their voices that this had been said a lot by other patients.

It is a real shame how a hospital with such a great reputation can be let down by something as essential as catering.

Please Freeman Hospital, provide food of an equally high standard to match the rest of a great hospital's services.