Hospital puts more choice on menu

A new a la carte menu of more than 20 meals will be launched at a Black Country hospital within three weeks, health bosses announced today.

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Hospitals Trust runs the West Bromwich site.

It said patients can eat from the new menu by March 23. It will be launched at Rowley Regis Hospital on March 16 and at City Hospital, on the Smethwick/Birmingham border, the week starting April 6. Food choices were increased to about three or four options this year.

Bosses are now launching the full a la carte menu in a bid to make patients' stay more comfortable.

The menu is set to include roast turkey and seasoning, poached smoked haddock, Mediterranean vegetable quiche and chicken jalfrezi.

Last year health chiefs decided to change their food preparation system and voted to produce meals at a special unit in Rowley Regis Hospital.

Meals will be prepared at the site before being transported in chilled vans to Sandwell and the trust's other hospital site.

The changes have been brought in after a food review was launched to ensure patients receive meals that are high in quality, nutritious and tasty as well as meeting ethnic and religious requirements.

Steve Clarke, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust facilities director, said: "We are delighted to be able to provide such an extensive a la carte service to our patients as it promises and delivers choice to every patient across our three hospitals.

"With a range of up to 25 different meal choices every day, we are catering for every taste, including ethnic preferences."

Four volunteers have also been signed up to work as volunteer mealtime assistants at Sandwell Hospital.

They will be on hand just to help patients eat their meals freeing up nursing staff.