The requirement for a pictorial menu has been an identified need across all hospital sites in NHS Grampian. Those with any communication impairment or who have English as a second language, have to rely on others to make their meal choices as the current system involves reading and writing. The menus will be of great benefit to provide the person centred care we all strive to deliver and allow individuals with additional needs the opportunity to be empowered to choose their own meals. The nutritional care of inpatients will be enhanced by allowing people to choose foods they find appetising and appealing.

The pictorial menus are in the form of an A4 booklet. There is a booklet for each of the three weeks of the rolling programme of menus.

The menus can be used with people who have difficulty reading, understanding language or who have:

• A learning disability
• Aphasia
• Neurological conditions
• Communication impairment
• A cognitive impairment
• English as a second language

Each booklet is for single patient use but can be used for the duration of the patient's stay.

The project team has been made up of members of the speech and language therapy department, the dietetics department, the catering department, nursing, corporate graphics and medical illustrations.

The booklets were developed with a number of focus groups made up from those who will be the main users and nursing staff.

The project has been funded by the Scottish Government Health Inequalities Initiative.

Information for staff (pdf)

 

Published: 23/09/2022 15:04