Health board slammed for scrapping A&E sandwich handouts

Richard Evans, Local Democracy Reporter

A retired consultant has slammed a health board for cutting the handing out of sandwiches in a hospital emergency department.

Ysbyty Glan Clwyd has now stopped providing sandwiches in the emergency department, despite some patients being left for hours in corridors before they are seen.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), which remains in special measures, said it had made the decision based on the advice of its catering and infection prevention teams, due to food hygiene and the “safe storage” of perishable items in a “busy clinical environment”.

Pre-packed options

An NHS spokeswoman explained: “Patients who remain in the emergency department for more than four hours are now offered pre-packed dry food options and fruit, which are safer to store and distribute.”

“For patients who have been accepted for admission and are awaiting a bed on a ward, hot meals are provided directly by the catering team.”

But Jonathan Osborne FRCS, a Retired Consultant ENT surgeon at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, has slammed the NHS for stopping handing out the sandwiches.

Mr Osborne is heading a Facebook group made up of retired doctors and nurses, campaigning to “bring back community beds and end tragedies in A&E corridors”.

“I feel that patients and their families are already suffering undignified and appalling conditions in the A&E department, and proving the situation, the health board has decided to remove sandwiches, which is to be deplored,” he said.

Extended waits

Tehmeena Ajmal, the health board’s chief operating officer, said: “We recognise that waiting in our emergency departments can be challenging, especially for individuals who are feeling unwell.

“To support patients and visitors during their time with us, food and refreshments are available through hospital vending machines, retail outlets at selected sites, and during the operating hours of our hospital canteens.

“In some instances, our staff may be able to offer food within the emergency department to patients experiencing extended waits.

“However, this is dependent on departmental activity levels and staff availability at the time. “Our foremost priority remains the prompt assessment and care of those who are seriously ill, and we continue to work diligently to reduce waiting times across all our emergency departments.

“We kindly encourage members of the public to consider the most appropriate NHS service for their needs. Doing so helps us to prioritise urgent cases more effectively and ensures that those requiring emergency care can be seen more swiftly.”