01/03/11

 

Young patients staying overnight at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital’s Children’s Centre can now select their food from a new menu, thanks to feedback from an innovative patient survey.

 

The handheld patient survey system, which enables patients to give their thoughts on their treatment and experience in hospital at their bedside, was used to gain feedback from younger patients in September last year.

 

When asked about food 46% of children and their parents said they were unhappy with the hot meal selection provided for lunch and tea, most of which was from the adult menu. This feedback was supported by the catering department who reported that 658 meals were wasted from the Children’s Centre between July 2010 and January 2011.

 

In response to this, staff on the wards and the catering team worked with children and their parents to put together a new menu, offering a more child-friendly tea time lunch box, instead of the old hot meals. All children are also given the option of having a hot meal at tea time if they prefer.

 

Pam Francis, Ward Manager at the Children’s Centre, said: “We always welcome patient feedback of this kind and are keen to adjust our practices to make the time spent in hospital as comfortable as possible for children.

 

“The feedback we received from children and their parents was that they didn’t want to have two hot meals a day. The lunchboxes, which contain sandwiches, yoghurt, fruit and crisps, are much more in keeping with the kind of food they would eat at home and have been welcomed by the children.

 

“We continue to be responsive to the views of our patients and will monitor the feedback we receive to ensure that we meet the needs of our young patients.”