❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses food quality and safety at Shenton Park Rehabilitation Centre, with the Minister's response detailing training, nutritional guidelines, and safety measures, indicating no recent complaints.
AnsweredQoN 1027Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to a letter sent to the Minister on 4 May regarding the quality of food at Shenton Park Rehabilitation Centre and ask:
(1) What formal training is required by staff preparing food for patients at the Centre?
(2) If no formal training is required, is it intended to be introduced in the near future?
(3) Do the meals prepared meet national nutritional guidelines in terms of the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables and suggested portions?
(4) Are low Glycemic Index (GI) and meals suitable for diabetics and overweight patients provided as an available option at every meal?
(5) Do the meals sometimes include junk food such as pies and pizza?
(6) Does the Minister accept that nutritional meals are an important part of recovery process from major surgery?
(7) What safety measures are in place to ensure the risk of food contamination is minimised?
(8) How many (if any) complaints have been received regarding food at the Centre in the last 12 months?
(9) What steps (if any) have been taken to address these complaints and improve the quality of food at the Centre?
(1) What formal training is required by staff preparing food for patients at the Centre?
(2) If no formal training is required, is it intended to be introduced in the near future?
(3) Do the meals prepared meet national nutritional guidelines in terms of the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables and suggested portions?
(4) Are low Glycemic Index (GI) and meals suitable for diabetics and overweight patients provided as an available option at every meal?
(5) Do the meals sometimes include junk food such as pies and pizza?
(6) Does the Minister accept that nutritional meals are an important part of recovery process from major surgery?
(7) What safety measures are in place to ensure the risk of food contamination is minimised?
(8) How many (if any) complaints have been received regarding food at the Centre in the last 12 months?
(9) What steps (if any) have been taken to address these complaints and improve the quality of food at the Centre?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 August 2009
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
55 days
(1) All Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) catering staff attend mandatory Food Safety Training once a year conducted by the RPH catering training/quality officer. This training includes receiving food, storage of food, reheating of food, temperature control, cleaning practices, hygiene practices and monitoring requirements. This complies with the Hazard and Critical Control Points (HACCP) requirements. Catering staff also attend yearly mandatory Infection Control Training. All RPH catering supervisors have attended a three day HACCP course which was conducted by an external national registered training provider. Both the mandatory Food Safety and HACCP training are competency based.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The main menus for the three major teaching hospitals (RPH, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Fremantle Hospital) are based on the latest
"Nutrition Specifications for Hospital Food Service, Department of Health - Western Australia" (2005).
The specifications were initially compiled using a number of "National Health and Medical Research Council" documents. The menus were compiled by a qualified consultant dietician and have been in operation for the past two and a half years. The menu was signed off by the Western Australian Department of Health (DOH) before being tendered out for the supply of food items. This menu is followed strictly at RPH.
(4)
The Nutrition Specifications for Hospital Food Service, Department of Health - Western Australia" (2005)
contain specifications for "Diet for Diabetes" as well as "Reduction Diet". These specifications for special diets were also updated by the consultant dietician as part of the DOH Standardised Menu process. The diets for patients with diabetes and/or obesity are based on the standardised hospital menu (based on healthy eating guidelines) with extra adjustments (such as a low glycaemic breakfast cereal, reduced fat and reduced sugar desserts). Glycaemic Index is only one consideration for the meal content for those patients with diabetes. Other considerations include increasing fibre content, reducing sugar and fat content and incorporating some fat types over others (such as increasing mono or polyunsaturated sources).
(5) In the longer length of stay ward areas of the Shenton Park Campus (SPC) (Spinal, Acquired Brain Injury), consideration is given to increasing the variety of foods/meals in order to avoid monotony/taste fatigue and achieve an adequate nutritional intake. To encourage fruit consumption, a variety of cut up fruit is available on request.
A "Specials Menu" has been developed that includes some alternative foods such as lower fat pies, burgers or pizza subs which are made with wholemeal bread and incorporate salad/vegetables and lower fat dressings. This menu is available every day on the Spinal ward, once a week in the areas of Stroke, Neurology and Acquired Brain Injury and for other SPC patients in consultation with the dietician.
(6) Nutrition is an important contributor to the health of all Australians, including those who are recovering from major surgery.
(7) The HACCP system identifies specific hazards and preventative measures for their control to ensure the safety of food. The RPH Catering Department is HACCP accredited and has been accredited since 2000.
HACCP plans are in place at RPH for all food items and processes. Documentation is kept to support the processes, for example temperature records, cleaning audits, personal hygiene checks and supplier audits.
HACCP audits at RPH are conducted on a six monthly basis by an external accredited organisation.
(8) There have been no complaints received from SPC in the past year regarding food or nutrition. The RPH Catering Department is customer and quality focused as evidenced by its undertaking of Catering Patient Satisfaction Interviews and Catering Meal Audits at SPC on a regular basis.
(9) Not applicable.
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(2) Not applicable.
(3) The main menus for the three major teaching hospitals (RPH, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Fremantle Hospital) are based on the latest
"Nutrition Specifications for Hospital Food Service, Department of Health - Western Australia" (2005).
The specifications were initially compiled using a number of "National Health and Medical Research Council" documents. The menus were compiled by a qualified consultant dietician and have been in operation for the past two and a half years. The menu was signed off by the Western Australian Department of Health (DOH) before being tendered out for the supply of food items. This menu is followed strictly at RPH.
(4)
The Nutrition Specifications for Hospital Food Service, Department of Health - Western Australia" (2005)
contain specifications for "Diet for Diabetes" as well as "Reduction Diet". These specifications for special diets were also updated by the consultant dietician as part of the DOH Standardised Menu process. The diets for patients with diabetes and/or obesity are based on the standardised hospital menu (based on healthy eating guidelines) with extra adjustments (such as a low glycaemic breakfast cereal, reduced fat and reduced sugar desserts). Glycaemic Index is only one consideration for the meal content for those patients with diabetes. Other considerations include increasing fibre content, reducing sugar and fat content and incorporating some fat types over others (such as increasing mono or polyunsaturated sources).
(5) In the longer length of stay ward areas of the Shenton Park Campus (SPC) (Spinal, Acquired Brain Injury), consideration is given to increasing the variety of foods/meals in order to avoid monotony/taste fatigue and achieve an adequate nutritional intake. To encourage fruit consumption, a variety of cut up fruit is available on request.
A "Specials Menu" has been developed that includes some alternative foods such as lower fat pies, burgers or pizza subs which are made with wholemeal bread and incorporate salad/vegetables and lower fat dressings. This menu is available every day on the Spinal ward, once a week in the areas of Stroke, Neurology and Acquired Brain Injury and for other SPC patients in consultation with the dietician.
(6) Nutrition is an important contributor to the health of all Australians, including those who are recovering from major surgery.
(7) The HACCP system identifies specific hazards and preventative measures for their control to ensure the safety of food. The RPH Catering Department is HACCP accredited and has been accredited since 2000.
HACCP plans are in place at RPH for all food items and processes. Documentation is kept to support the processes, for example temperature records, cleaning audits, personal hygiene checks and supplier audits.
HACCP audits at RPH are conducted on a six monthly basis by an external accredited organisation.
(8) There have been no complaints received from SPC in the past year regarding food or nutrition. The RPH Catering Department is customer and quality focused as evidenced by its undertaking of Catering Patient Satisfaction Interviews and Catering Meal Audits at SPC on a regular basis.
(9) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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