Burwood Hospital meal system

Press, 25 July 1985, Page 12

Burwood Hospital meal system

Sir,—With all the furor over the Canterbury Hospital Board’s lack of funds, perhaps someone can explain how the board can justify spending thousands of dollars on altering the meal system at Burwood to tray service, when the present system functions perfectly

well, and, I am told, would have no trouble coping with even more wards and departments. My experience of hospital food is one of disgust at the cold, unappetisinglooking meals at Christchurch Hospital, but a friend who has been a patient at Burwood has nothing but praise for those served there. Facts on costs and reasons may make interesting reading for those of us unlucky enough to be waiting for surgery at public hospitals, and who are told the waiting lists are getting longer because of lack of funds, and of the closing of wards for this reason, while the powers that be consider alterations at Burwood are more essential. — Yours etc., (Mrs) D. A. SMITH July 1, 1985.

[Mrs Pamela R. Williams, chief dietitian of the Canterbury Hospital Board, replies: “The decision to convert the Burwood Hospital food service from bulk food trolleys to a central tray service was made following the very successful introduction of the tray system to both Christchurch Hospital, in 1978 and The Princess Margaret Hospital in 1983. These changes were made after extensive management reviews and substantial financial savings were made by the food service department at both hospitals. At the same time, the quality of food service was improved because patients are able to select food from their own menu, and each tray is individually served and checked by food service personnel. Besides financial savings, nurses will, as a result of the change, have more time for patient care, as they will not be serving meals. We have not had any complaints about cold unappetising meals at Christchurch Hospital and have no record of Mrs Smith making any complaint, which, if she had done would have been investigated immediately and any problems would have been rectified. On the contrary, the comments from patients at Christchurch Hospital have been most complimentary.”]