"Lack of nutrition"

My father in law developed throat cancer. Because his throat was sore and obstructed be couldn't eat properly. He was admitted to Manchester Royal Infirmary for rehabilitation as he had become to weak for the oncologist to consider any treatment. That was 18 days ago.

Since then he has been waiting for minor surgery to insert a feeding tube. He is often given a sandwich to eat in the evening which is sealed in a plastic packet which he cannot open. Even if he could open the sandwich he has great difficulty in eating it because of the obstruction to his throat.

His breakfast includes toast which he cannot eat properly. Because he is in bed 25 he never gets soup, which he could eat, because there is never any left by the time the trolley reaches him. He says it always starts at bed 1.

He is given diet yoghurt, which he can eat, but given his problems seems inappropriate. The food which he orders from the menu does not appear to reach him. The ward staff say that there isn't really a system to ensure that the meals patients order are actually provided.

Each time his daughter alerts the staff to these problems the staff provide suitable nutrition, but there does not appear to be any effective strategy for ensuring that appropriate food is provided.