PP348 - HOSPITAL FOOD SERVICE STAFF EXPERIENCES OF TRANSITIONING TO WARD-BASED À LA CARTE SERVICE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

PP348

HOSPITAL FOOD SERVICE STAFF EXPERIENCES OF TRANSITIONING TO WARD-BASED À LA CARTE SERVICE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

I. K. Rask^1,*, S. K. Kring¹, L. Viggers¹, M. B. Kristensen¹

¹Department of Nutrition, Gødstrup Hospital, Herning, Denmark

Rationale: Hospital food services are increasingly adopting ward-based à la carte models, sometimes involving  ward-based kitchens where meals are prepared and served closer to the patient. While this may enhance patient-centered care and nutritional intake, it also changes the work context and roles of food service staff. This study aimed to explore food service staff´s experiences of this transition.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 trained food service staff (e.g. catering assistants, chefs) at a Danish regional hospital who had transitioned from large-scale centralized kitchen production to decentralized ward-based à la carte kitchens. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: Four themes were identified:

1) From Collective Work to Independent Practice with Interdisciplinary Collaboration.

2) Patient Contact and Feedback as Sources of Meaning and Job Satisfaction.

3) Reduced Physical Strain and Changing Work Demands.

4) Changes in the Use of Culinary Skills and Professional Identity.

Participants described a shift from strong collegial communities to more independent work requiring collaboration with healthcare staff. While many missed the social environment and preparing meals from scratch, they valued increased responsibility and patient contact as key sources of meaning. The transition reduced physical demands but introduced new challenges related to time pressure, coordination, and relational aspects of interacting with vulnerable patients.

Conclusion: The transition from centralized production to ward-based à la carte service fundamentally reshapes food service staff roles, competencies, and collaborative practices. This calls for targeted training in patient interaction and interdisciplinary collaboration to support improved nutritional care.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared