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LEO VARADKAR HAS said that there are some hospitals that “do a great job” of providing nutritious food to patients but admitted some facilities in the capital are lagging behind.
The Health Minister was speaking as he prepares to meet a Michelin-starred chef to discuss how to improve the quality of meals served in Irish hospitals.
It follows renewed criticism of the quality of food with Oliver Dunne, owner of Bon Appetit and Cleaver East, campaigning on the issue since he witnessed “lacklustre” food served to his wife in Dublin’s Mater hospital.
Dunne believes the food can be improved at a low cost. Varadkar said this morning that the pair are struggling to find a time that is mutually convenient but hopes the meeting can go ahead shortly.
“Maybe dinner rather than lunch,” he said. “I think he’s in Malahide and I am in Blanchardstown, but we’ll find somewhere on the northside of the city, subject to the agreement of the hospital of course, to try out some of the food.”
Varadkar said there is “quite a variation” between hospitals, saying some do a great job of providing nutritious food.
“The Cavan-Monaghan hospitals are actually a very good example of that, some of the Dublin ones, not so much,” he said.
Last year, the Coombe Maternity hospital carried out a review of its menus after a photo of a meal served to a woman in the hospital was brought to its attention by TheJournal.ie.
Meetings between chefs and Varadkar have been criticised by the opposition as “publicity stunts”. Fianna Fáil TD Colm Keaveney said meetings were not going to change the fact that budgets have been reduced.
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Not gonna be an accurate representation if they show up announced..they need to walk into a hospital unannounced at dinner time and see what is actually on people’s plates.
But that would mean someone in the public service may be held accountable…can’t be having that. Better to just put on a show for the press and move on.
Having been in Tallaght and Letterkenny hospitals quite a bit recently, they are both quite good, considering the amount of patients.
Tallaght gives a menu, so at least you have a choice.
Letterkenny seems to have much fresher food. I had roast dinners in there recently and it was as good as any carvary I’ve eaten.
Typically stupid Irish reaction to such a problem.
“The foods served in hospitals are useless.”
“Get me the best internationally recognised chef in the country! Damn the expense!!”
You could literally ask my oul wan what decent foods they could serve in hospitals and she’d give just as good, probably more cost effective answers. Anything would be better than the rubbish they give patients these days anyway. My wife was given 2 premade sausage rolls as a dinner after giving birth to our daughter. You don’t need a Michelin starred chef to improve on that.
Max
You’re wrong!
Oliver Dunne made the approach rather than the Minister and any initiative to inspect or audit or check the appalling quality of food in our Hospitals by the Boss and a leading Chef is likely to yield results.
Your approach is either to stick your head in the sand or just throw insults at a Minister who is not afraid to take up the challenge.
Now if only public hospitals employed chefs and dieticians who were capable of coming up with menus to cater for the nutritional needs of patients…..oh wait!
@Annette, some hospitals do, Marie foster the catering and housekeeping manager in Marymount hospital/hospice being one.
http://www.hotelandcateringreview.ie/catering-profile/therapy-through-proper-nutrition/
I last ate lunch there on 14th of this month, trust me it was all fresh meat and veg locally sourced, as good as any excellent carvery.
It can be done, the problem is lazy and inept managers who don’t give a damn.
It’s really not that difficult. Hospitals are full of dieticians. Good food plans to provide adequate nutrition on an age/sickness/allergy profile basis. It’s really not that difficult.
That Michelin name drop is a massive PR stunt.
I’ve a great idea. How about the food in the dail is exactly the same as in the hospitals so they can all taste it for themselves, that way it would change pretty quickly. The food I’ve tasted in the Cooke that’s for pregnant woman and new mum’s is frankly muck that I wouldn’t feed to a pig.
Surely a centralized service provider that provides food services to the entire HSE would be the best way to keep costs down and maintain consistent standards…
Or better hospital managers. If some hospitals can win awards for their catering services to patients, as was mentioned here the other day, there is no reason why others can’t do the same.
Some hospital managers are clueless.
No. You end up with tasteless food with no consideration for dietary requirements manufactured in a production facility on the M50 regardless of hospital location. I believe that studies have shown that food cooked on sight is more nutritious and provides less waste and better value.
I worked for a catering company supplying food for airlines when I was younger and have to say that the food was much better than hospital food and prepared in a very clean environment. Really it was as good as you could get with the facility’s at hand. I ate the food every day in the canteen along with everyone else there.
Just look at that filthy slop eh.
“Come to hospital to lie on a trolly in a corridor and be poisoned to death by the nutritionally devoid crap food”
At huge cost to the taxpayer.
“We’ve Got The Poison”
“We’ve Got The Remedy”
“We’ve Got The Poison”
“We’ve Got The Poison”
Heard a doctor commenting on this recently and their logic made a lot of sense, in many cases people in hospitals are recovering from severe injuries or surgery and need these high calorie diets as their body is repairing itself. A healthier diet in many cases will actually slow the recovery process.
exactly .. the average person needs about 20 – 25 kcal per kg and about .75g of protein. in surgery, cancer, most disease states especially decompensated liver disease a persons requirements can go as high as 45kcal per kg and 1.5g protein per kg. a normal healthy balanced diet goes out the window for these people. its pointless improving the look of food unless its nutritionally adequate for the person
Leo the liar. The patient food is below par. The stuff in the staff canteen I wouldn’t feed to the dog
I don’t like fine gael. I think they are a disaster for this country but I have to say varadkar doesn’t bullshit. He is about the only one that doesn’t mind you.
Had a baby in mullingar hospital in July. I would say the food was top notch. Salmon, chicken breast.. For dinner. Healthy breakfast cereals, toast or brown bread orange juice. After sandwiches and dessert.seems to be a big variation from hospital to hospital. That photo taken of dinner given to a Lady in Coombe after giving birth is disgusting and I would not offer it to a dog.
A politician’s motto is to tell the people your lies until they believe them to be true. Leo you’re full of it. The food hospitals is the worst I’ve ever seen in any country and I’ve never seen an appetising meal in any irish hospital. If you say anything other than sorry and we will immediately make it better across the country, you will be failing the sick and vulnerable in irish society. Fine Gael has failed miserably in everything they’ve tried since they have got into government. We need an overhaul of the nation !
See this comment from the other day on the excellent food in two hospitals:
http://www.thejournal.ie/profile/178548/n-oc-correct-management-hospital-contract-level-3157682/
My family have also had some very good experiences and some terrible experiences with food in Irish hospitals.
Also, I’d point out that the Health Minister cannot micro-manage every hospital in the country. Each hospital has its own manager who should be sorting these issues rather than the Health Minister.
Barry
You have been in a huge member of Hospitals in Ireland and sampled the food
You have been in a huge number of Hospitals outside Ireland and sampled the food.
You blame the Minister for the appalling quality of food served.
You blame Fine Gael for everything that is wrong with your world.
The first two are both dishonest and untruthful while the second two suggest you belong to a Political Party different to the Minister.
Which is also dishonest.
Surely the food is not the biggest problem within hospitals. I think time would be better spent in other areas
Mackie D’s are more healthier than hospital food, worse it’s more affordable also, shocking stuff what they the HSE charge for even one sausage in the bill.
Seems to be a water story black out.
If there is one thing you can’t accuse the journal if it’s a “water story blackout” .
Time Line.
A lot of the problem here is governments make deals with catering companies and the like. And their foods are basically deep fried and microwave meals. Funny thing is as we all know , you can make better food for less money from fresh produce. But that requires more time and effort.
Why not offer the current garbage to patients for free or have a small 5 euro a day supplement for decent grub, fruit veg meat and good water or juice… Sure any visitors pay a fiver a day in parking, ask them to find a spot down the road for free and pay for your lunch, instead of on parking and the overpriced sweets in the hospital shop
Some time ago I spent 10 days in Naas general hospital before being transferred to a Dublin hospital where I spent 10 weeks. The food in Naas was second to.none it was lovely. As for the Dublin hospital it was atroshish.. Full marks to Naas.
How’s about you bring your own food. Gimme gimme gimme.
People obviously want to blame the government. But for better or worse and I often think better Irish schools and hospitals nearly always independent voluntary trusts funded by the government.
Nearly all schools in Ireland are private schools they are just publicly funded. Nearly all hospitals are independent trusts.
This means a fair bit of independence and local control. It also means some do better jobs than others.
The food in bonsecours hospital is just great and well presented
“Ahh.The life giving, healing qualities of the microwaved frozen sausage roll and the deep fried, microwaved frozen spicy potato wedge with the dollop of red sauce”
“There is no better food to nurse a critical patient back from deaths door”
Such disgusting s**t!
And you can bet that teams of consultants are getting millions of Euros a year to lord over this plated diarrhoea.
“Ireland”
“Don’t go to hospital”
“You’ll get poisoned”
You can bet that Varadkar and his snouted brethren are not eating this slop in the Dail bar today.
It should not take a minister and a michelin starred chef to figure out how to serve decent food. It’s hospital food, we’re not talking duck l’orange here, just regular bleedin meals which any chef should be able to do.
From my own experience in hospitals, I tend to believe the issue largely lies with the food stuffs purchased, and to a lesser extent how it’s cooked.
I found the food in The Rotunda was actually ok. Not that I ate much after all the excitement but it looked ok, what I did taste was fine. It felt like they were always trying to feed ya too!
I found the food in the Rotunda excellent, I spent 5 nights there last year. Always had a choice, got salad and brown bread for tea most evenings, proper dinners and loads of healthy breakfast options ranging from porridge to fruit and yogurts. Excellent catering staff, I found the Rotunda all round to be excellent, midwives there are all wonderful!
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