Patient to finally get kosher food
FRANKSTON Hospital has promised a Jewish patient will finally receive kosher food for every meal after The AJN revealed last week that she has only been eating bread and butter.
FRANKSTON Hospital has promised a Jewish patient will finally receive kosher food for every meal after The AJN revealed last week that she has only been eating bread and butter.
As reported last week, the patient known as Fiona was admitted to the hospital, which is run by Peninsula Health, earlier this month and said that she asked for kosher food but it was denied.
Peninsula Health told The AJN that she did not declare that she had dietary requirements upon admission and that it was examining the provision of kosher food to the growing Jewish community in the area.
Following another week of frustration for Fiona, a Peninsula Health spokeswoman told The AJN that from Tuesday (March 22) kosher meals would be available for every meal.
“Food services have spoken to her this morning,” the spokeswoman said.
“She will receive a kosher meal for lunch today and her details have now been entered into the menu system meaning that she will receive kosher food by default weather she declares it or not upon future admissions.”
Fiona said she was over the moon after speaking to food services.
“I haven’t had meat in more than two weeks so I’m very excited to eat some real food again,” She said.
Thanking The AJN, she added, “Without the pressure that you put on and the constant calls to the hospital they wouldn’t have done anything.
“I’m just so happy.”
The AJN understands that this isn’t the first case of kosher food being unavailable at Frankston Hospital, even when people have notified staff in advance.
One patient who gave birth at the hospital twice said that she spoke to the hospital on each occasion to give them time to organise kosher food but they failed to deliver each time.
“They promised and assured me that they would have some kosher food but instead I was given a ham sandwich after I gave birth,” the woman told The AJN.
“Then they brought a second meal that was meant to be kosher but I found out afterwards that it wasn’t.
“It wouldn’t have taken a lot for them to organise it and I gave them time to do so, but it was very disappointing because if they weren’t going to be able to they could have let me know and I would have arranged other food.”
JOSHUA LEVI
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