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Ward Food Policy

The trust provides a variety of high quality, safe, nutritious food and drink to patients in hospital. Great care is taken to provide food, which is right for the needs of individual patients. Choices suitable for all special dietary requirements whether medical, religious, conscientious or personal are available. Diet is part of the essential clinical care of the patient, and makes an important contribution to recovery.

Drinks and snacks are freely available and there is generally no reason for extra food to be brought in.

On ward 26 a large variety of between meal snacks are available on the ward at any time of the day ; crisps, chocolate biscuits, cakes, cheese and crackers, yoghurts, ice cream and milkshakes. In addition a cooked breakfast can be ordered by the dietitian and a small selection of alternative hot snacks and ready meals can be provided.

However, if patients or their relatives/friends do wish to supplement the hospital diet with additional items, it is essential that they follow these simple rules;

1.   In the interests of patient safety and comfort, the Trust ;

a)    does not advise hot food to be brought in for patients.

b)    Does not permit food brought in from home or purchased from shops to be cooked or microwaved by staff/patients/relatives or carers on the ward.

c)     does not permit visitors to eat and drink food provided by the hospital for patients.

d)    Cannot reheat or keep warm food brought into the hospital.

e)    Cannot accept any responsibility for untoward effects resulting from eating or drinking brought in items.  

If you have any queries about the hospital food policy please speak to a member of staff.

2. Any of the following food or drink items may be brought in and kept in the fridges' in patient rooms.

 Wrapped, perishable items, e.g. sandwiches, cheese portions, which do not require heating. Home made sandwiches must be labelled with the date they were made and eaten on the same day.

• Individual desserts or yoghurts.
• Wrapped cheese portions.
• Individual cans/cartons of juice or pop
• Cartons/bottles of milk, supplement drinks or milkshakes

All these items must be within their marked ‘use-by' date.

3.  Any of the following items of food or drink may be brought in and kept in the bedside locker

• fresh fruit (washed)
• biscuits
• individually wrapped cakes or cereal bars
• sweets/chocolate
• crisps
• fruit squash or cordials
• individual cartons/cans of juice or pop, which do not need to be kept in the fridge.

4. Items that can be stored in the fridge in your room ;

Wrapped, perishable items, e.g. cheese portions and sandwiches which do not require heating. Home made sandwiches must be labelled with the date they were made and eaten on the same day.

Individual desserts or yoghurts

Wrapped cheese portions

Individual cans/cartons of juice or pop

Cartons/bottles of milk, supplement drinks or milkshakes

 All these items must be within their marked ‘use-by' date.

If any items in the fridge are out of date or not covered by the above list you will be asked to discard them or send them home by the ward house keeper.

We regret that we cannot permit home made items ( with the exception of sandwiches) to be stored in the fridge.