Richardson Eating Disorder Service – Catering Guidelines

These guidelines are designed to give you information on what is encouraged during your
stay on ward 31A, in order for you to meet your individual nutritional requirements and be
able to manage eating in a more normal way

We acknowledge the anxiety you may have about what is expected and we accept that
you will not be able to eat normally straight away. You will therefore be encouraged to try
and work on your eating by setting realistic goals each week.

You or your family should not bring any food or drink onto the ward. You will have the
opportunity to discuss these guidelines with the Dietitian.

You will be given the weeks menus on a Tuesday for you to complete in time for your
meeting with the Dietitian later that day or the next day in order to discuss your choices
and update your food and fluid plan.

All meals, snacks and supper will be supervised and provided as follows:

You will develop an individualised meal plan alongside your dietician, this will be reviewed regularly as part of your care and treatment. This will promote a regular eating pattern to aid your recovery.

Protected meal times are approximately as follows:
Breakfast: 8am – 9am
Mid-morning snack: 10.30am
Lunch: 12 noon – 1pm
Mid-afternoon snack: 2.30pm
Evening meal: 5pm
Supper: 9pm

You will be provided with support during post meal times.

You will work with staff to identify an ideal eating environment and consider strategies to manage your distress. If appropriate, staff can help set goals around social eating so you can learn to transfer skills to other environments and manage meal plan off the ward.

No diet, reduced fat, slimming foods should be brought onto the ward. This
includes sweeteners, sugar free chewing gum, some cereal bars and diet drinks e.g.
diet coke.

This prevents you from becoming dependent on diet foods and allows you to understand
that these foods are not required when eating for better health.

Any special, cultural or religious food requirements need to be discussed with the Dietitian
in order to ensure they are adequately provided for.

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website www.cntw.nhs.uk (click on the ‘Contact Us’ tab)
• telephone the Complaints Department 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected] Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk
• We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.

You can provide feedback in the following ways:
– the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/poy
– complete a Points of You survey, available from staff.

Richardson Eating Disorder Service
Richardson Unit
Leazes Wing
Royal Victoria Infirmary
Richardson Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4LP
Tel: 0191 282 5259
E-mail: [email protected]
Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk.

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can
be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think
about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio,
larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information
Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288
Published by the Patient Information Centre
2021 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref, PIC/524/0422 April 2022 V6
www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288
Review date 2024