On Wednesday, the head of La Candelaria Hospital, Roberto Gómez, admitted to receiving “significant grievances” from on-duty doctors and staff regarding the menu service provided by the cafeteria since February 7. He acknowledged that there are “defects” in the service.
Gómez, in an interview with Radio Club Tenerife and reported by Europa Press, expressed his dissatisfaction with the results of the menu service, mentioning that during the pandemic, the hospital itself prepared the food without any noteworthy issues. However, upon the return to normal operations, a catering service was outsourced, leading to the current problems.
In response to the poor quality and scarcity of food, the hospital management has decided to revert to the previous system, with the kitchen service once again responsible for preparing doctors’ meals.
Gómez clarified that the kitchen staff were not at fault, praising their dedication and the extra effort they put in to prepare the doctors’ meals over the past three years during the pandemic.
Addressing the complaints about the kitchen conditions, Gómez mentioned efforts to improve equipment and provide additional personnel support. However, space constraints have posed challenges for implementing these measures alongside ongoing operations.
While acknowledging the difficulties, Gómez emphasized the need to find a prompt solution, considering the continuous 24-hour service requirements alongside the renovation efforts.
“Shameful”
Earlier in the week, professionals expressed their dissatisfaction with the new on-call menu system, citing food shortages and notably poor quality, particularly with the cold line system in place.
“It is shameful. Some people discard the food directly into the trash; the stew resembles gelatin,” remarked Levy Cabrera, a spokesperson for the Tenerife medical union, highlighting that the directors of the complex or the Canarian Health Service should be alarmed by the poor quality of the dishes.
