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Improving the quality of our meals

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.

I just take small meals
” I just take small meals but quite nice – something different every day, quite happy.”
Soup gets better every day
“Soup gets better every day. Pudding at teatime is super, thoroughly enjoyed the meal”
Always all right, nice and warm.
“Always all right, nice and warm. Good choice, not too repetitive. Like the soup – lovely, and some of the salads”
Big improvement
“Big improvement. Get what you ask for but sometimes can’t remember what was ordered yesterday”
Choice always good
“Choice always good. Is small portion wanted you get it and extras if want. Always enjoy the meals, enjoy the company”
Stewed apples lovely
“Stewed apples lovely, custard very powdery and not enough rice pudding. Great service to be served meals. Always offered seconds”
Very happy with meals
“Very happy with meals, been an in-patient two and half years”
Very happy with variety
“Very happy with variety, good service”
Very satisfied, been in a few weeks
“Very satisfied, been in a few weeks”
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