Food service trends in NSW hospitals, 1986-1993

In 1993 a survey of the food service departments in 159 hospitals in New South Wales was carried out using a mailed questionnaire, and the results were compared with those of a similar survey in 1986. The results reveal that over the past seven years there has been a significant increase in the proportion of hospitals using cook-chill systems, from 5 per cent in 1986 to 18 per cent in 1993. Hospitals with cook-chill systems do not appear to be operating more efficiently than those with conventional catering systems: in cook-chill hospitals the mean food service staffing ratio was 7.1 beds/full-time equivalent (FTE) compared to 7.8 beds/FTE in hospitals with cook-serve systems. Most hospitals in New South Wales still use traditional hot food delivery to the wards, and more of these are now using effective heat maintenance systems for patient meals. The proportion of special diet meals has increased over the past seven years to 17.1 per cent in public hospitals. The percentage of food service departments with an unqualified person in charge fell from 47 per cent in 1986 to 22 per cent in 1993. Meal times remain largely unchanged, with more than 90 per cent of hospitals still serving the evening meal before 5.30pm.