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Patient claims he went hungry
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| Arthur Gale wants more than an empty plate (EL1060-20017) |
AN elderly diabetic claims he was reduced to tears after being left for hours without a meal in hospital.
Arthur Gale, 74, has to eat a special diet because he has a gluten allergy as well as diabetes, and he has been in and out of Whipps Cross University Hospital with chest problems regularly since September.
But daily visits from the trust's catering manager, who prepared special meals for him personally, did not help because many of them were not delivered, he told the Guardian.
On a recent occasion, he said, he went from 10am until early evening without food, and was brought his first meal, an apple and a pear, by a nurse at 6pm.
He said he has been told by the catering manager himself that after 6pm there was no one on duty.
Because of this, he was asked to call his daughter in the early hours of the morning for some food because staff didn't know what else to do. Occasionally some took pity on him and bought food for him.
Mr Gale's daughter, Brenda Sowerby, 42, said he has been told by the catering manager to telephone him when he is going in. "Every time he goes into hospital they don't know how to cater for him. He has to let them know beforehand and when he gets there he is told there is no meal for him," she said.
She added: "When he is in hospital he gets really worked up. I've seen him very down and crying."
Mr Gale, of Leucha Road,
Walthamstow, said: "I have to keep an eye on whatever they are serving up. They should first ensure the health of patients - no matter what is wrong they should be able to make arrangements. My daughter has to buy food."
This is not the first time Mr Gale has complained about hospital food. He said that during a ten-day stretch in hospital last year he was given the same meal twice a day for eight days. He has now launched a formal complaint.
A MEETING has been arranged between staff and Mr Gale to discuss his concerns and take on board any suggestions for improvements to the service, said a hospital spokeswoman.
She added that every patient's nutritional needs are recorded on admission, and, where necessary, a dietician is consulted.
She added: "Mr Gale has a complex combination of dietary requirements and therefore the hospital has gone to some lengths to accommodate this.
"Throughout the duration of his stay, he was visited daily on the ward by the trust's catering manager who consulted him on his meal preferences."
5:23pm Saturday 3rd March 2007
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