"Pleased to be home thanks to the doctors who were..."

What could be improved

I was treated in Kings D1 ward from 27th-31st January following an accident . The worst aspect of my stay was the seeming total inability of the catering department to cope with my diet. I am a coeliac and made this clear on my admission. Every menu form I filled in I wrote "gluten free diet" all over it, this was completely ignored as, time and time again the correct food did not arrive, usually the wrong bread. The first time I managed to get the right bread (after a long wait) it was like rock and totally inedible. On one occasion I asked the Care Assistant if the Irish Stew on the menu was gluten free, he phoned the chef in my presence and was assured that it was. When it arrived there was pearl barley in it. I find it incredible that a chef in an NHS hospital is not capable of knowing whether a meal is gluten free or not. Please advise your kitchen staff that anything containing wheat, barley, oats or rye is a no no for coeliacs. I realise that I am in a small minority but your kitchen staff should be able to cope with anything.

Anything else?

The ward staff were quite good but, like every other hospital I have been in, there never seemed to be enough of them to do what was required.