Food and drink

Last updated: Tuesday 17 September 2024

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust endeavours to ensure that during your stay in the hospital you are provided with appetising and nutritious meals in a clean and welcoming environment. To achieve this we carry out regular patient reviews in the form of a questionnaire to obtain up to date information of patient opinions of the catering service whilst in hospital.

This page is intended to provide you with an outline of what you can expect from the catering service during your stay in the hospital.

Menus

Our menus attempt to supply a large number of meals to a wide variety of patients with varying tastes and requirements and we have worked closely with the hospital dieticians to tailor these menus to meet your needs. 

However we know there will be times when you may need an alternative service. This page tells you how to receive other services available to you.  

Whilst in hospital you will be provided with breakfast which includes a range of cereals and toast. Lunch is a choice of sandwiches with a bowl of homemade soup and the evening meal consists of a number of hot choices and dessert.

Ward staff will also provide you with hot drinks and snacks such as cakes and biscuits at least twice a day.
 
Please think carefully about your meal choices if you are following a special diet. If you are unsure whether a particular meal is suitable for you then you should discuss this with a member of the nursing staff.

All hours service

This section describes the range of services which we will provide in addition to the mealtime service. These are available around the clock although there may be dietary or other medical reasons why you should not choose from this section.

How to order    

  • Halton Hospital - you can choose your meal at the time of service from the meal trolley being pushed around the ward.

  • Warrington Hospital - you will receive a menu card on the day before or the day you require your meals. The card must be completed according to the instructions and will be given to the catering department for you.

Should you require any assistance with completing your menu card please ask your nurse.

For special dietary requirements please inform a member of the nursing staff as soon as possible.

On some admissions wards a member of the catering staff may come and ask you what you would like for your meal. 

What you can expect - our commitment to you

To ensure you get excellent service at all times, we have set out our aims at the bottom of this page. This is our commitment to you to deliver high quality catering services which will meet your needs and provide enjoyable meal times.

Suggestions, compliments and complaints

If you want to let us know what you think of the food and service then please ask a member of the nursing staff and they will provide you with a questionnaire. They will then make sure it gets to the catering manager for action.

If you would like to see someone from the Catering Department then please ask one of the ward team – they will make arrangements for a member of the catering staff to visit you. Alternatively if you are having problems with your meals you may contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
 
If you wish to make a complaint once you have been discharged you can contact the Complaints Department at the hospital on 01925 665126.

Special dietary requirements

General information

The hospital menus are designed to meet the needs of patients requiring special diets as well as those with no dietary restrictions. If you are given a menu to choose from you may notice that some items are followed by a letter; this denotes the different diets.

Please ensure the correct diet choice is indicated on your menu card if you have one. If you have a need for a diet not coded on the card or you are not given a menu card to complete please discuss with a nurse. A brief description of the codes is as follows:

D Diabetic These dishes are suitable for diabetics. Desserts are sweetened with a sugar substitute.
F Low fat These dishes are suitable for patients who need less fat in their diet.
V Vegetarian These dishes are produced without animal fat.
R Reducing These dishes contain fewer calories and are lower in fat / sugar. They are suitable for those patients who may benefit from weight loss as part of their treatment.
H Healthy option These dishes are lower in fat and some may be higher in fibre.

If you are at Halton the catering staff serving your meal will be able to tell you what’s suitable if you’re on a special diet.

Other special dietary needs: 

  • gluten free
  • low residue
  • puree diet
  • soft diet 
  • fortified diet

Ethnic, cultural and religious diets

On arrival in hospital your dietary requirements will be assessed by a member of the nursing staff. A relevant menu package is available for Halal and Kosher meals. Please refer to the separate multicultural section on this page.

Nuts and allergies

If you have an allergy to the following ingredients please ensure you let a member of the nursing staff know:

Cereals (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut), milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, celery, mustard, soya, lupin, sulphites

Food intolerances

If you have a particular food intolerance such as gluten, egg or milk etc you should make this known to the nursing staff on admission to hospital.

Fork mashable and puree meals

These meals are available to patients who may have difficulty with eating or swallowing. The consistency required will depend on individual needs and where necessary you may be assessed by a speech and language therapist. Fork mashable meals are also on offer, these will be available on a separate menu and you will be advised by a ward assistant as to which meal is suitable.

Multicultural menu

We endeavour to meet as many communities’ needs as possible, offering a menu specifically for patients who would have difficulty eating from the main menu for cultural and religious reasons.

To order your appropriate meal the relevant menu will be offered to you to make your choice.

Halal vegetarian meals

  • aloo gobi and peas            
  • aloo saag
  • lentil dhal
  • moong bean curry

Halal meat dishes

  • lamb and dhal
  • lamb and potatoes
  • chicken korma
  • chicken tikka
  • chicken curry

All meals are served with basmati rice.

Kosher meals

  • roast chicken dinner        
  • roast beef dinner
  • steak pie
  • cottage pie
  • macaroni cheese
  • vegetable lasagne
  • chicken casserole
  • roast turkey
  • meat and potato pie
  • lamb casserole
  • cod in tomato sauce

All meals are available with a selection of vegetables or salad.
 
All dishes are subject to availability

All hours

Snack boxes

If you have missed a meal because you were receiving treatment or having tests, or you have been admitted and not had the opportunity of a meal then a snack box is available to you. This is available 24 hours per day but is not intended as a replacement for a main meal. Please ask your nurse to arrange for a box to be delivered to you.

Snack box contents

There are three types of snack boxes available.
(Contents may vary due to availability)    

Snack box A Snack box B Snack box C

Sandwich (meat or vegetarian)

Fresh fruit

Chocolate bar

Crisps

Yoghurt

Orange juice

 

Sandwich 

Crackers

Cheese portion

Low fat yoghurt 

Fresh fruit

Orange juice

 

Sandwich

Yoghurt

Orange juice

Soft fruit

 

 

 

Special diet snack boxes

Snack boxes can be made to suit special and dietary needs i.e. for children, diabetics or soft diets. Please ask your nurse for details. Fresh fruit or a fruity pot is available 24 hours per day. Please ask your nurse for details.

The ward kitchen service

The ward kitchen service is available to provide hot and cold beverages throughout the day. Toast is also available when required. Cake and biscuits will be provided to accompany afternoon tea and your supper drink.
 
Hot drinks available

  • Tea                
  • Hot chocolate
  • Coffee
  • Malted drink    

Cold drinks available      

  • Squash      
  • Milk    
  • Water     
Visitor information

Foods brought in by visitors

Visitors are welcome to bring food in for patients in hospital but we ask you to obtain permission from the ward manager or a nurse beforehand. Please ensure any food brought in is from a reputable source and is in a clean container. Please note for food safety reasons that all patient food not consumed within 24 hours, regardless of the use by date will be discarded by ward staff. 

Foods permitted are:

  • chocolate                
  • fruit
  • sweets 
  • crisps
  • savoury and sweet biscuits        
  • fizzy drinks and squashes
  • cakes (not fresh cream)
  • scones
  • teacakes

 
If you are bringing in mousse or yoghurts please hand to the ward staff so they can be refrigerated.

On-site catering facilities:

Halton Hospital, Nightingale Building

Visitors are welcome to use The George Lloyd Restaurant which is open five days a week from 8am to 1.45pm for hot food and cold food such as hot and cold breakfasts, main meals, sandwiches, cakes and drinks.

Vending machines are also located throughout the hospital.

Halton Hospital, Captain Sir Tom Moore Building

Vending machines and a snack bar are situated in the main waiting area. Visitors are also welcome to use the Dining Room in the main hospital which is approximately five minutes' walk away.

Warrington Hospital

Visitors and patients are welcome to use the food court in the main entrance of the hospital. This area offers a selection of food outlets, including Kendrick's and Costa Coffee. Vending machines are located throughout the hospital.

Our aims
  • We will give you the chance to choose foods you like eating, get them to you at the right time and serve them in a friendly and efficient manner. 
  • Hot foods will be hot and cold foods will be chilled.
  • The ward team will always be on hand to help you with ordering, eating and any other needs you may have during the meal service.
  • Our menus will always be checked by qualified dieticians so that you get the right foods. If you are on a special diet then this will be prescribed by a doctor or dietician. If you do not understand it please ask to see a dietician.
  • Our menus will offer you foods that have been prepared in ways which respect your cultural needs or religious beliefs.
  • We will try to make meal times as comfortable for you as possible and keep activity on the ward to a minimum so you can enjoy meals in peace.
  • If you have any comments please ask to talk to someone from the Catering Team.