Action must be taken over Sodexo food at City General Hospital
FOOD REVOLT: I was recently discharged from Ward 109 at the City General after a stay of 12 days, the first eight of which I was not allowed solid food.
This turned out to be a blessing, as after my operation, I was allowed to eat the food supplied by Sodexo.
I could write a long list of faults, but I'll confine my comments to the most serious.
Firstly, the hot food is superheated over probably five hours and is therefore dried out and fused to the plate.
Secondly, because all hot meals share the same hot compartment, the aromas and flavours merge into something I cannot describe in print.
Joan Walley MP says it's probably too late to change this state of affairs, but I would have to disagree – show me a contract that does not have a performance clause written in.
The clinical and nursing care I received was first class. The very same people are obliged to serve up the superheated rubbish trucked in from South Wales.
All patients I talked to were extremely displeased with this so-called food. Some had even resorted to living on a diet of digestive biscuits and food brought in from home.
This situation needs a resolution. If this occurred in industry, someone's job would be at serious risk.
ROB LIGHTFOOT
Meir Park
3 Comments
by Kim, .
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 1:38PM
“just have to be sure that when you get trucked into hospital for a major op and get over it reletavley quickly that you don't eat the food after and get food poisoning like my grandfather did, the state of the food is disgusting and as for the smell what mr lightfoot was on about, there really aren't words to discribe how disgusting it really is, hospital seems to have gone backwards not forwards”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Monday, September 29 2008, 8:07PM
“God only knows what will happen when there set of money grabing lags take over cleaning AND portering up at the hospitels. You are in hospitel bcouse you are ill, good food is inportant to get you well and you get there heated up tripe given to you. It is indeed a disgrace. Next time I go in I'll get the wife to bring the Oatcakes in to hand round, soon get you on yar feet again.”
by Andrew howarth, Steeton West Yorkshire
Monday, September 29 2008, 2:18PM
“Well our trust has decided to get Sodexo in our hospital at Airedale General, at the moment we have fresh food cooked every day and served to the patients, but our trusts decision to bring Sodexo has not gone down too well here. but all the trust is worried about is what staff it can get rid of and the cost saving. We actually get provided £1.85 Per Patient per day for 3 meals and all the tea and coffee they can drink. Our food is second to none, sodexos food as your reader as commented on is shipped in from south wales to be reheated and served like a TV dinner. The Unions have tried in vain to stop the privatisation of our catering department, but the trust wont listen.”