Providing a patient centred catering service with an a la carte menu focused on choice, quality, and taste

Healthy, nutritious, and tasty food is a critical part of the patient’s hospital experience and vital to their wellbeing, which is why we will introduce Steamplicity, our innovative patient catering solution. It allows us to provide bespoke menus that meet the needs of the differing patient groups across DGT and KMPT. Overall, our patient service exceeds the majority of the recommendations of the Independent Hospital Food Review, and we are actively working towards full compliance.

Meals are individually plated so that we can control portions and accurately analyse the nutritional value of every meal that we serve, ensuring that they are always served hot.  This provides long stay patients, such as those anticipated in KMPT, with variety and interest.

Our dietetic team will develop Steamplicity menus that focus on the different needs of DGT and KMPT patients, including modified textured meals for those who have difficulty swallowing. In fact, our healthcare dietitians are a unique strength of our offer.

Our offer will also cater for diverse cultural and religious needs, as well as providing vegetarian and vegan options. Large-format and pictorial menus will make it easy patients to choose their meals.

The hostess visits each patient prior to lunch and dinner, meals can be ordered up to 1.5 hours before serving. If a meal is not required it can be cancelled quickly and easily online, reducing food waste. We also offer an efficient out of hours service, should patients arrive outside of core hours. They can choose from six options and have a hot meal within twenty minutes, in their ward bed. Sandwiches can also be provided.

Nutritional symbols

If you have a special dietary requirement which the dietitian has told you about, look for the relevant symbol on the menu next to each dish.

Heart symbol -.pngHealthier Choice. These items have less fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt, making them particularly suitable for people with diabetes.

Energy symbol.pngHigher Energy and Protein. These items are higher in calories and protein making them particularly suitable for people who need extra nutritional support. 
 

Star symbol.pngEasy to chew. These items are suitable for people requiring IDDSU level 7 easy to chew. These are not designed for people with a swallowing difficulty or those who need supervision whilst eating who will be given a seperate menu. Local discretion is advised for specific patients.

Vegetarin symbol.png Vegetarian. Meal suitable for vegetarians.

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Gluten Free sympol.pngGluten Free. Gluten free meals and desserts and naturally gluten free foods are coded GF.

 

Patient Menus


The dietitians and catering staff work closely together to provide meals and a range of choices for patients requiring special diets, such as milk free and gluten free. If a meal is missed because of tests being undertaken, a “litebite” microwaveable meal or snack box can be provided. 

Diabetes

The dietary advice for diabetes is based around healthy eating guidelines.  The menu is coded with a  ♥ symbol to highlight choices which contain moderate amounts of fat, sugar and salt when a standard portion is served.

For those who wish to estimate their carbohydrate portion sizes, carbohydrate content information is available for our menus.  Please ask ward staff for this.

Snacks are available on the ward if you need them.  

If you are coming in with complex needs, please contact the Nutrition and Dietetic department in advance on 01322 428439 if possible to arrange for a diabetes specialist dietitian to contact you.

If you have gestational diabetes and find that the menus on the maternity wards do not meet your needs, please inform your nursing team who can arrange for a member of the catering department to visit you to discuss suitable options.

The menu is coded with heart symbol to highlight choices which contain moderate amounts of fat, sugar and salt when a standard portion is served. This is suitable for a healthy balanced diet and for patients with diabetes.

For those who wish to estimate their carbohydrate portion sizes, carbohydrate information is available as part of our ward catering folder. This is available from the STA (Catering Assistant) or Nursing team.

If you are visiting DVH as an inpatient with complex needs or concerns, please contact the Nutrition and Dietetic department in advance on 01322 428439 to arrange for a specialist dietitian to contact you. The Catering Manager can also be contacted on 01322 428823.

If you have gestational diabetes and find that the menus on the maternity wards do not meet your needs, please inform your Nursing Team or STA (Catering Assistant) who will discuss suitable options.

A copy of the menu is displayed on every ward and a disposable copy will be offered on admittance. The core menu has been designed with the Dietetic Team to provide for most diets (soft, balanced choice/diabetic, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free). 

Breakfast - Breakfast service is ‘a la carte continental’ style with porridge on most wards. 

The breakfast service provides a selection of cereals, porridge, toast with preserves, or marmite, croissants are also available.

Beverages consist of tea and coffee, decaffeinated versions can be provided as well as an assortment of specialty teas, a variety of juices are also available, consisting of apple, raspberry & apple and pineapple.

Lunch - The lunch service provides two hot choices or a sandwich and a choice of three cold desserts at lunchtime.  Patients choose their lunchtime meal at ‘point of service’. The Catering Department provides meals for lunch according to the number of meals ordered on the patient meal request sheet sent to the Catering Department previous day. Based on feedback from the maternity areas, patients on Aspen, Cedar choose lunch from an a la carte choice of sandwiches & jacket potatoes, omelettes & desserts

Dinner - Dinner consists of soup, three hot choices or salad and choice of one hot and two cold desserts at dinner which is chosen by the patient via a menu card offered at lunchtime. Soup is served, if ordered, at 17.00pm.

Information on allergens is contained in a specific folder on each ward.

The menus provided by Darent Valley are designed to provide nutritious and safe food for a wide range of diets.  For this reason, we would always encourage patients and staff to discuss how the Catering Department can provide appropriate meals for patients.  However, where relatives insist on bringing in food for patients, a specific process must be observed. Please speak to your nursing team or ward manager for information.