Helped plan hospital’s new food service

Press, 31 May 1977, Page 16

Helped plan hospital’s new food service

When Miss Una Martin retires on Friday as chief dietitian of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, her main regret will be that she i will not see the new food service department opened at Christ- ■ church Hospital next year. Miss Martin, who was in the first intake of dietitian (students at Christchurch (Hospital nearly 36 years ago, helped plan the new department. which will ultimately (feed 1200 patients. With her (on-the-spot understanding of the hospital’s requirements, she had the necessary experience to observe adaptable new trends in Australia, Britain and the United States when on overseas tours. Eventually she'wrote a brief ion Christchurch Hospital’s needs and it was incorporated in the architect’s plan. “We have planned a centralised tray service for the patients who will be able to select their food for the fol- ■ lowing day from a menu,” (Una Martin said yesterday. (‘‘The food will be plated on a (conveyer belt in the kitchen, then as each tray is completed it will be put on a 'trolley and taken directly to the patient in a ward. This (will mean that all patients 'will get a freshly-cooked, attractively served meal of their choice.” At present. food has to be cooked in the hospital kitjchen in bulk, though as late las possible, then transported (to wards in heated trolleys | from which it is served to patients. “MORALE BOOSTER” “The opportunity to select (their own food is a terrific (morale booster for patients,” ! Miss Martin said. “Other advantages of the new system (are that the food will be ■more freshly cooked and, therefore, should have ah higher nutritional value, as|; iwell as being hotter w’hen it l! reaches the patients.” 1, Waste and costs are better h controlled under the more! (personalised method of feed-!: (ing patients. !: The hospital’s new food I; service includes a centralised 1 ' staff cafeteria where all will j i (meet and eat. It will be what Miss Martin calls ail ( “shopping-type” cafeterial i .with several display areas:i (from which to select food. (■ ( “With this kind of cafe- ; (teria there should not be any (long, time-wasting queues at ! ;one food counter and we (plan to have more mobile (equipment,” she said. “I am (very sad that I shall not be ihere to see the new food, (services in operation.” li ' Miss Martin is also ini, charge of training dietitian i

[students, who must first havela degree or diploma in home : science from the University!! | of Otago before they begin” their year’s training. Unaj ! Martin adds a few qualities | [required in addition to pre-i [requisite qualifications. They I< I are: a sense of humour, i I “stickability” and the ability [] to get on with people. “We desperately need! [more trainees — doctors are:; [crying out for dietitians top ■do research as well as prac- I tical work in hospitals,” shell said. li And the time has come fori hospital-trained dietitians to i work in the community. i “They should be available ; to visit people in their own ’ homes — diabetics or anyone else who has difficulty I I in getting out to a clinic — -and helping people referred; to the hospital for weight- 1

; reduction or other diets,”) [she said. “Dietitians are: [becoming more involved 'with the medical profession I as part of the team.” I More are needed as [advisers in private hospitals. I [Child-health clinics, many j medical centres and private! i practitioners could do with! [the services of dietitians. [ Miss Martin, who is slim, [active and fit herself, is a [strong advocate for the wellIbalanced diet of plain basic [foods. And simple health I diets need not be expensive, j “Some people say these diets, which include plenty I of fresh fruit, and vegetables? are too costly,” she said. “But when asked how much, they spend on cake, sweet biscuits, chocolate arid sugar in their tea it becomes clear • that what they can save by ’cutting out all that sweet!

i stuff will pay for a well--balanced diet of plain, basic [foods.” I Una Martin, who has been chief dietitian for the North Canterbury Hospital Board [for seven years, will be succeeded by her first assistant, [Mrs Julian Jensen. Mrs Jensen has worked closely with Miss Martin on the new food service plan. After she leaves Christchurch Hospital Miss Martin will take a holiday in Australia to visit relatives and! friends, many of whom she I worked with in hospitals. Some time next year she intends to join a woodworking class. “I want to learn how to drive a nail in Straight — something I have never been able to do,” said Una Maritin.