Call for rules on hospital vending machines in England

[Northerner]

Hospital vending machines in England contain too many high-calorie snacks, and guidelines should be introduced to make them healthier, says a cancer prevention charity.

A World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) survey found 73% of English health trusts do not have a policy on the food sold in their vending machines.

Yet, the Welsh and Scottish governments introduced guidelines in 2008.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23631368`

 

[Redkite]

On the other hand it's good to be able to buy sugary drinks from a vending machine if you are hypo. No use waiting for some hospital staff to change shifts and fill out 30 forms before you can get some hypo treatment (cynical......)

 

[trophywench]

LOL - the caf? at the main University teaching hospital here, you can get chips, jackets, rice or pasta with whatever.

They put tomato lettuce and cucumber etc on some of the sandwiches. But salad as a meal? Fresh veg? Fresh fruit? Nope.

The meal menus are much the same. Cereal for breakfast, or toast. Grey meat in soggy pastry with lumpy mash for lunch. Soup and a sandwich for tea. If your stay is very short, you don't get admitted to the main wards, just one sort of behind A & E - daughter was there 2 years ago with meningitis. You get what's left on the trolley when it gets to you.

Abysmal.

 

[Redkite]

Hospital food eh! When my son was diagnosed in Hemel hospital (now closed), he was fed turkey dinosaurs and smash mashed potato, with baked beans. Luckily there was an Asda over the road so we could supplement this with some actual food 😉

 

[Northerner]

When I was in Southampton General at diagnosis I was in for 8 days and was really impressed with all the food - I even wrote to the catering manager afterwards to compliment her on managing to deliver tasty, hot food. Might have had something to do with the fact I had basically starved for five days before admission, but I looked frward to every meal 🙂

Unfortunately, I learned that a couple of years later the contractor had been replaced and the meals were being heavily criticised - no doubt the cheapest bid won