Our public partners
We work with a group of public partners to help guide improvements in our catering service. Our partners have all used our services either themselves or have had experience of our service through a friend or relative. Our 8 current partners have all visited the cook freeze production unit at Inverclyde Royal Hospital and now carry out regular audits of the meal service on our wards.
Each ward audit is unannounced with the public partner visiting a ward of their choice with the catering manager. Our partners use an observation tool to note down points about the meal service including food quality. They are able to recommend improvements if they see something which is not done to their standard. In addition, they ask patient opinions at every visit.
We have an annual timetable with our larger acute sites being audited by our public partners twice per year and our smaller sites at least once per year.
Here are some of the comments from our public partner audits:
- “Bread and butter given with soup”
- “Very impressed by service”
- “Tried cottage pie and vegetables – was very nice”
- “Quality of the food for service indicated it had all been regenerated on the appropriate oven shelf”.
- “If I had not chosen the ward to visit I would have thought it had been stage managed as everything was so professionally done”
- “This was normal service – very good”
After each audit there is a feedback session with the catering staff and the nurse in charge of the ward.
Patient feedback
You said/we did
Would like more fruit to be available
What we did: We have tried a lot of different ways of increasing fruit provision including fruit bowls in some wards.
Chips too hard
What we did: We checked the regeneration oven on the ward and cooking instructions have been reviewed
Allergy meal served in packaging and small portion
What we did: We have debated several times whether to do this or not but decided it is safer to serve in packaging.
Chips could have been warmer and a smaller portion size better
What we did: Ward service issues have been addressed with ward staff giving out the information leaflet regarding services available e.g. patients can ask for small or larger portions
Some of the comments we’ve received from patients and visitors
We want you to enjoy the food we provide and we’d welcome your feedback at any time during or after your stay.
