Former NSW Corrections Minister says prisoners eat better than child cancer patients

A former NSW Corrections Minister says children battling cancer in a major public hospital are being dished up food inferior to what the state’s most hardened criminals receive after seeing a shocking photo obtained by The Daily Telegraph.

The meagre meal that that was served to a sick child at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle. Picture: Supplied

Children battling cancer in a major NSW public hospital are being dished up food inferior to what the state’s most-hardened criminals receive while locked up behind bars.

The Daily Telegraph has obtained this shocking image of a lunch served to a preschool patient at John Hunter Children’s Hospital in Newcastle – a piece of chicken, a whole potato, a scraping of gravy and yoghurt.

Former NSW Corrections Minister David Elliott told this masthead – based on the image – how the state’s jail inmates enjoy a more appetising menu than kids in the John Hunter oncology ward dealing with severe health crises.

Commenting on the meal, former NSW Corrections Minister David Elliott said: “At least criminals are given some coloured vegetables.” Picture: Mick Tsikas

“I can confidently say our prisoners are getting fed better than our child cancer patients given the minimum standards inmates are guaranteed,” he said.

“At least criminals are given some coloured vegetables.”

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park delivered an apology over the issue after a family member of a young patient in Newcastle, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “We have absolutely no problems with the medical care bring provided. The staff here are fantastic.

“But when it comes to food, you wouldn’t serve this to a dog.

“It is tough enough for everyone involved when you’re dealing with little children fighting life-threatening illnesses.

“You just want them to have everything they need. But when families have to go out and buy food to supplement a meal that hardly holds any appeal, and looks almost inedible, it’s just not good enough. I don’t know how anyone would think this is acceptable.”

John Hunter Hospital. Photo: Supplied

Mr Park said: “I acknowledge that the meal in the photograph does not reflect NSW Health or the community’s expectations and I apologise to the patient who received this meal.

“The health and wellbeing of patients in our care is a top priority. Increasing the nutritional intake for patients during a hospital stay is very important to their recovery and health outcomes.

“NSW Health Nutrition Standards are part of a larger framework of nutrition and food policies.

“These standards help Local Health Districts, Specialty Health Networks, healthcare facilities, clinicians and the people responsible for food services, to create menus that are suitable for patients in NSW Health facilities.

“I have sought urgent advice from HealthShare NSW to ensure meals provided at John Hunter Children’s Hospital meet these standards.”

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park. Picture: Thomas Lisson

The NSW Government’s Agency for Clinical Innovation details on its website the purpose and guiding principles of the state’s Nutrition Standards.

“NSW health patients will have access to safe, appropriate and adequate food and fluids as an essential component of patient-centred care and treatment,” it reads.

“Food offered will be appetising, visually appealing, well presented, enjoyable and age appropriate. This helps patients to get the nutrients they need and considers their psychological and clinical needs.

“The menu will provide a variety of foods with respect to colour, texture, taste, smell, and how it looks. This variety will be in each meal, throughout the day, and across the entire menu cycle.”

The Daily Telegraph has also approached the John Hunter Hospital for comment.

Originally published as Former NSW Corrections Minister says prisoners eat better than child cancer patients