Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust takes nutrition very seriously.

It’s paramount to recovery and is a top priority for all staff involved in patient care.

Our patients are at the heart of everything we do with food and nutrition, and as an organisation we’re constantly striving to improve the nutritional care provided for patients in our hospitals.

For more information on our nutrition and dietetics service click here.

To view our food and drink strategy please click here.

Nutrition steering group

The Trust has a nutrition steering group in accordance with NICE guidelines 2006. This consists of a multidisciplinary team, a consultant gastroenterologist, nutrition nurse specialist, dietitian, speech therapist, senior nurse, pharmacist and representation from facilities management. It is their job to over see all nutritional activity in the Trust – from oral nutrition to the more intensive invasive types of feeding. Click here to see the Trust nutrition policy.

Catering review committee

This is a group that monitors the quality of the food in the Trust and discusses any problems or issues that have been flagged up. It also reviews patient satisfaction surveys that are completed monthly. It consists of the nutrition nurse specialist, divisional lead nurses, dietitians, matrons, representatives from both catering firms and facilities management.

Link nurses

Each ward has a trained nurse with a special interest in nutrition. This person is there to ensure that all nutrition policies and procedures are adhered to. They attend meetings chaired by the nutrition nurse specialist and these meetings are both educational and an opportunity to share good practice.

Housekeepers

The majority of wards have housekeepers. They are there to help with food choices and providing hot and cold beverages. If you have any particular preferences with your diet, the housekeepers will liaise with the catering department to try and ensure that these are met.

Protected mealtimes

In our hospitals we operate a protected mealtime policy. This ensures that the patients have an uninterrupted time when they can eat their food in peace and that nursing staff are on hand to offer assistance with eating if required. We would ask that visitors refrain from visiting at this time unless they’re there to help their loved ones eat. If you feel that your relative would benefit from help from a family member please arrange this with the nurse in charge. Often people feel more comfortable if they have a familiar face around to help them and we as a Trust welcome this. Each ward has a protected mealtimes poster on display that will also display the times of the meals. Click here download our protected mealtimes policy or download a poster here.

Red Tableware

If you find that you need help with eating or drinking or if you are experiencing a loss of weight and appetite, you may be given a red tray and red jug. Red trays and jugs highlight to the ward staff that patients need extra help and food and fluid intake recorded. If you are visiting a friend or relative who you think may need tableware, please talk to the nurse in charge. Read more information on our use of red tableware.

Help with eating and drinking

All patients will be assisted with eating and drinking if required. If you have any special dietary requirements, please inform the nursing staff who will ensure that the catering department are made aware. It is very important that you receive enough water to drink whilst you are in hospital so do ask for fresh water if your jug is empty.

You will be provided with at least 7 beverages a day as well as fresh water. Meals are breakfast, main hot dinner and soup and sandwiches for supper.

Meal times are as following:

Breakfast: 7.45am – 8.15am
Morning coffee/beverage: 10am (approximately)
Lunch: served between 12pm – 1pm (times differ slightly from ward to ward)
Afternoon tea/beverage: 2.30pm
Supper: 5pm – 6pm
Evening drink: 8pm

Please note, beverages are always offered after all meals in addition to ones listed.

Menu choices in our acute hospitals

If you are admitted to one of our three acute hospitals, Amersham, Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe, we offer a full range of food from our varied menus.

Food is provided by Medirest at Wycombe and Amersham hospitals and Sodexo at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Have a look at our full colour menus here:

Amersham and Wycombe
Stoke Mandeville 

These menus are suited for most types of diets although we recognise that some people may require a special diet, for example, soft or puree food, gluten free diet due to their condition and these needs will be met. When on the ward, a menu will be available at your bedside and will give you the ability to make an informed choice. On a daily basis, you will be asked what you would like to eat and every effort will be made to ensure you have your choice. If you do not see a full menu please inform the ward manager.

What can visitors do to help?

The hospital catering service provides adequate meals for all of our patients, but extra drinks and snacks are always welcome especially for people whose illness means a prolonged stay. Favourite foods from home are always welcome.

However please check with nursing staff before you offer any food or drinks as they may not be suitable for your loved one. Also check to see if they are having tests or investigations that may require him or her to be nil by mouth.
Most wards have the capacity to store some cold items such as yoghurts or custards. However we would remind you that there is only limited capacity and therefore priority will be given to those patients who are on special diets. If you would like to bring such food in, please talk to the nurse in charge as it will have to be labelled with the patient’s name and the date before it is refrigerated

Please also remember that the welfare of our patients is our chief concern and we must guard against anything that is likely to put them at risk. You are responsible for the safety and hygiene of all the food you bring in. Please check ‘sell by’ and ‘best before’ dates carefully.

Drinking for recovery

Drinking whilst feeling unwell is always hard and many patients do not like plain water.  However a good fluid intake is vital to recovery and indeed prevents many problems such as constipation and urinary tract infection. We would especially encourage visitors to bring in soft drinks such as high juice squashes, fruit juice and blackcurrant drinks. Please do not bring in fizzy drinks as they do not have much nutritional value and indeed can be most unsuitable for many patients.
If you would like to bring in milkshakes or smoothies please ensure that they are drunk on the day and not left.

Nutritional screening

In accordance with national and Trust guidelines, you can be expected to be weighed on admission to hospital. If you have lost weight or your appetite has decreased or your clothes are too big, please tell the nurses. It may be necessary to screen you for malnutrition. If this does happen, a plan of care will be made to enable you to meet your nutritional requirements.

In the community, our dietitians are involved in either health
promotion, clinical work or a mixture of both. They promote healthy food choices to prevent disease by increasing awareness of the link between nutrition and health.

Community dietitians help to facilitate a positive change in food choices amongst individuals, groups and communities. Local teams are based in Aylesbury, Amersham and Wycombe.
Each of the teams provide a number of outpatient clinics for adults and children in a variety of locations – GP surgeries, local health centres and community hospitals.

The service currently offers the following areas of expertise:

• Obesity management

• Home enteral feeding

• Paediatrics

• Diabetes

• Adult mental health

• Learning disabilities

• Input into care homes and community hospitals

If you wish to be seen by a community dietitian, please ask your GP or health professional to refer you to the service. Please note we do not accept self referrals.

For more information, contact Renu Bansil in the dietetic team lead, on 01494 425286.

Finally

We at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust are keen to ensure that your nutrition and hydration needs are met during your stay in our hospitals.

If as a relative you are at all worried about what your loved one is eating or drinking, please feel free to question the nurses on the ward and they will be able to reassure you or take the appropriate action if there is a problem.