Healthwatch Kingston Enter and View Report Kingston Hospital Food and Hydration
Download the report
Earlier in the year, Healthwatch Kingston (with Healthwatch Richmond) and Kingston Hospital discussed the benefit of a series of Enter and View visits of Adult Inpatient Wards at the hospital that focused on food and hydration to help inform work being done by the hospital and to further support service improvements. These visits would be informed by work completed previously by Healthwatch (see Enter & View Report from 2021) and evidence provided by Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
A framework of questions for patients (their family/friends) and hospital staff and caterers, along with an observations sheet was co-designed by Healthwatch Kingston, Healthwatch Richmond and our Healthwatch Enter and View Authorised Representatives.
Healthwatch Kingston and Healthwatch Richmond agreed to divide up the identified areas for our respective Enter and View visits. Healthwatch Kingston agreed four visits with Kingston Hospital that observed public food and drink areas in the Emergency Departments and Outpatients and the following adult inpatient wards:
- Hardy Ward - provides care and treatment for people with problems affecting their digestive system (Gastroenterology).
- Hamble Ward - provides care for people with respiratory conditions.
- Isabella ward - currently treats people who need hospital treatment and care after an unplanned admission.
- Kennet Ward - a dementia friendly environment providing care for elderly people who are unwell and in need of hospital care and treatment.
Our four announced Enter and View visits were scheduled to take place on 22, 25 and 28 March 2024 and aimed to observe breakfast, lunch and evening meals.
Our visiting team did not have opportunity to speak to ISS (who provide the food and drink for Kingston Hospital) catering staff during our visits. ISS were observed arriving with food trolleys, plating up meals for patients and then after all meals were plated and their routine checks were completed, ISS catering staff left the wards. Only hospital ward staff were observed delivering food, on trays to patients and also clearing trays after mealtimes.
Please note that this report only relates to findings observed and what patients, (their family/friends) and hospital staff and caterers shared with us on the days of our visit:
Friday 22 March – Emergency Department, Outpatients, Restaurant and Costa
Monday 25 March – Hardy and Hamble Wards
Thursday 28 March – Isabella and Kennett Wards
Our report is not a representative portrayal of the experiences of all patients (their family/friends) and hospital staff and caterers, only an account of what was observed and those that contributed during our visits.
The Healthwatch Richmond upon Thames Enter and View report about Kingston Hospital inpatient nutrition is available here.
