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"Lack of communication"

About: Royal Victoria Hospital / General Medicine

(as the patient),

Having been admitted to the hospital during the pandemic, there was no time to notify the catering department of my admission.

From A&E right through to the ward, the staff made it known that I had Coeliac Disease, and required a Gluten Free Diet. Even one of the staff saying they wanted me referred to the Dietitian.

When it came to any meals, it was sketchy at best, as some people do not have a clue about a Gluten Free Diet.

Any of the meals that I was able to eat where cold at ward level. If nothing was suitable you had to resort to yoghurt's and jelly. Even ice-cream is not suitable as it is handled within a factory that handles gluten products.

Numerous times staff members requested for the catering department to be notified and something suitable to be sent.

It is difficult enough being in hospital at the best of times, when you have no visitors that can bring in food, or change of clothing and a wash bag. You can get uncomfortable and feel isolated, when staff are dealing with other patients.

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Responses

Response from Máire Alexander, Patient and Client Experience Manager, Patient and Client Experience Team, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 4 years ago
Máire Alexander
Patient and Client Experience Manager, Patient and Client Experience Team,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Submitted on 21/04/2021 at 13:16
Published on Care Opinion at 13:16


picture of Máire Alexander

Dear PeterEd,

My name is Máire and I'm the Patient and Client Experience facilitator in the Belfast Trust.

Thank you for taking the time to share your story, I appreciate you helping us to improve how we care for our patients.

I want to say sorry for this experience, I can imagine that being unable to access suitable food while not being able to rely on visitors to bring anything in was very stressful and upsetting.

I would like to learn more about your experience, to help ensure that processes are in place and that we, as a Trust, can learn from this, and improve the experiences of our service users with coeliac disease.

Could I ask you to get in touch with me by email, so that we can arrange a time to discuss this further? My email is Maire.Alexander@belfasttrust.hscni.net.

Thank you again for taking the time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Máire Alexander

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