A NORTH-EAST hospice has established a special group to help ensure food and drink served to patients and their families are of the highest standard.
The Nutrition and Hydration Steering Group has been formed at Butterwick Hospice Care and will meet six times a year to review meals and identify areas where improvements can be made.
The Butterwick’s sites in Stockton and Bishop Auckland have been taking part in Nutrition and Hydration Week, a global initiative aimed at improving the provision of food and drink in care settings.
Day care patients were offered menus with a wider choice, including beef casserole, fish and chips, chicken curry and a pasta dish, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
One patient said: “The quality of the food is excellent, with good variety on the menu. In fact, I couldn’t wish for anything better.”
Debbie Jones, Chief Executive at Butterwick Hospice Care, said: “Our aim is to give patients and their families the best possible care and support, and the quality of food and drink we serve them is clearly an important part of that ethos.
We wanted to take part in Nutrition and Hydration Week as a way of demonstrating our commitment to quality and I’d like to thank the catering teams for their fantastic support and hard work.”
“The focus is on eating and drinking the right nutritional content to support our patients and improve their quality of life. We all appreciate that it is not just about one week. It is about driving continuous improvement in our catering services all year round.”
The new group comprises staff and volunteers from across the hospice, including managers, nurses, and representatives of catering teams.