During Your Stay

Catering Services St John’s Hospital

Food provided to patients is an important factor that influences both their clinical outcome and their overall satisfaction with their hospital experience. St John’s Hospital Catering Department aims to ensure that all our patients receive a patient- centred food and nutrition service from admission to discharge.

We cater for a broad range of diets and religious and cultural preferences. If you are on a prescribed special diet please inform the ward staff to ensure that you choose from the correct menu. Should you have any special requirements/ preferences we will do our very best to accommodate them.

Our meals, desserts and snacks are prepared fresh each day in our onsite kitchen. We operate a fresh plated service where all meals are cooked and plated in a central kitchen. Great emphasis is placed on the nutritional content of food for patients and staff alike. Our menus are designed in consultation with our Chefs, Dieticians and Patients.

We operate a strict policy on protecting mealtimes for our patients. This helps to promote and maintain an environment conducive to patients enjoying their meals and having appropriate assistance to safely consume optimal amounts of the food and drinks.

Assistance with Eating and Drinking Some patients are restricted in their ability to eat and drink independently due to functional and cognitive limitations. As a result they may need assistance, encouragement, supervision and prompting to eat and drink. We encourage family members to come to hospital during mealtimes and play an active role in helping to feed them. You can arrange coming in to help your loved one with feeding with the Ward Manager.

In 2018 our staff restaurant was awarded a gold award from the Irish Heart Foundation for Healthy Eating in the workplace.

At the UL Hospitals Group Staff Recognition Awards 2018 our Catering Department received an award for Innovation in the Non Clinical Category.

Meals Times

• Breakfast: 8.00 a.m. – 8.30 a.m.
• Lunch: 12.30 p.m. – 1.00 p.m.
• Afternoon Fresh Fruit or Custard: 2.30 p.m.
• Supper: 4.45 p.m. – 5.15 p.m.
• Evening Snack Service: 7.00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m.

TV and Radio

Each ward has television and radio. The T.V. System was funded by the Friends of St. John’s Hospital Fund Raising Committee.

Stations are broadcast as follows:

• Channel 1 = RTE1
• Channel 2 = RTE2
• Channel 3 = TV3
• Channel 4 = TG4
• Channel 5 = BBC1
• Channel 6 = BBC2
• Channel 7 = UTV
• Channel 8 = Sky News
• Channel 9 = True Movies
• Channel 10 = Mass Channel

Earphones are provided for use with the radio system.

Personal transistors/C.D. Players may only be used in wards if they have earpieces to ensure they do not disturb other patients.

Mobile Phones/Telephones

Mobile Phones can interfere with the operation of some medical equipment, such as cardiac monitors. Please check with the nursing staff before using your mobile phone.

In the interest of privacy and confidentiality, the taking of photographs using “Picture” phones is strictly forbidden within the Hospital.

The Hospital’s main telephone number is (061) 462222. Public telephones are located on each floor for the use of patients and visitors. All these phones are coin/card operated. There are direct telephone lines to wards. Please ask the admitting nurse for this number and pass it to a designated relative who can telephone the ward directly for information on your progress.

Post

Post is delivered to wards on a daily basis. Please ask your friends to put your full name and the name of the ward, if known, on your letters. Letters received after your discharge will be forwarded to your home address. There is a post-box located at the Main Reception where outgoing letters may be posted. Postage stamps can be purchased in the Hospital Shop.

Chapel and Caplaincy Service

The Hospital Chaplaincy Service operates on an inter-denominational basis, providing a full pastoral care service to patients, families and staff. An ordained Chaplain is available twenty-four hours a day to attend to spiritual, religious, and emotional needs and to offer support. The Chaplaincy Department is also available to help support families before, during and after bereavement and also provides bereavement counselling when requested. If you would like to speak with a Chaplain, ask your Nurse to arrange contact.

Patients may visit the Chapel. Staff members will be happy to give you directions. Mass is relayed on Channel 5 of your T.V. at the following times:

• 10.00 a.m. & 5.45 p.m. – Monday to Friday
• 6.30 p.m. – Saturday evening
• 8.00 a.m, 10.30 a.m., 12 noon, 7.00 p.m. – Sundays/ Church Holydays

Holy Communion is brought to the wards between 10.30 – 11.00 a.m. daily. The Sacrament of the Sick is available on request.

Patient Lounges

Patient Lounges are provided on each floor and are available for use by all patients and their visitors.

Information Regarding Flowers

In the interest of Health & Safety/Infection Control, relatives/visitors are requested not to bring flowers to the Hospital.

Security

The Hospital is monitored by CCTV cameras both internally and externally, 24 hours a day. Security staff manage traffic control, car parking and routinely patrol all areas of the buildings and grounds. All security incidents, including items lost or found should be reported to your Ward Manager.