"Hospital Stays Made Safe"

GIG Offers an Online Dietary Guide

I continue to feel that "there ought to be a law" when it comes to providing medically appropriate food to people in institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons. It just seems to be common sense that people on medical gluten-free diets receive gluten-free food in medical institutions—or anywhere else where they have little or no ability to control food procurement or preparation.

So far there's no such law, but at least the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) recognizes the problem. As has been reported, including Nancy Lapid's Celiac Disease Blog, GIG recently created an online guide called Hospital Stays Made Safe [PDF]. It's not a cure-all, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

And it's one of numerous online publications offered by GIG. Check 'em out!

For an idea of what we're up against, here's a glimpse of some "normal" hospital food. (The footage comes from across the proverbial pond, where Prince Charles and Coeliac UK have also advocated on behalf of hospital patients.)



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HOPE FOR HOSPITAL FOOD?

Food served to hospital patients ought to be safe and nutritious and compatible with medical diets, including gluten-free diets. That isn't always the case, to say the least—but now there's a high-profile advocate for better hospital food: Prince Charles!

Here is a portion of "See food as a medicine, says Prince," a February 5, 2008 article from The Press Association.

The Prince of Wales has urged hospital trust bosses to see food as a "medicine" in itself as he highlighted the importance of nutritional meals being served to patients.

Charles made the comments at the Royal Brompton Hospital where around 20 chief executives and senior managers had gathered to hear about the institution's pioneering catering initiative.

The Royal Brompton in Chelsea, West London serves its patients freshly made meals created from produce 20% of which is either sourced locally or is organic.

It also offers a range of foods which are free from additives, gluten, dairy or genetically modified produce and low in fat.

The Prince said to the hospital chief executives: "We need to see food as a medicine in itself."

He also told them: "At the risk of stating the blindingly obvious people largely go to hospital to get well and obviously the food we eat does make a difference to our general health even when we are not ill.

"So it does seem even more crucial the food hospital patients are given helps rather than risks hindering the process of recovery."

Hear, hear!



Source (00:37)