The Secretary of Organisation and spokesperson for Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista (NC-BC) in Tenerife, Valentín Correa, issued a warning on Tuesday regarding the precarious state of the kitchen service at the Hospital Universitario de Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria (HUNSC), which is currently in a critical condition. Alongside Yoné Caraballo, the parliamentary spokesperson for NC-BC on health issues, Correa met with staff representatives responsible for hospital food services who noted that the service provides approximately 1,100 meals daily to patients.
Correa highlighted that numerous letters have been sent to the centre’s management and the Department of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, denouncing the outdated facilities that are over three decades old.
According to NC-BC, there is a lack of separate areas for preparing allergen-free diets, which require specific machinery and utensils. This situation leads to staff members failing to meet the minimum conditions for proper food handling and hygiene, thereby compromising the safety and healthiness of the preparations and increasing the risk of “cross-contamination”.
Among other serious deficiencies, it was reported that the area where food is dispatched for Thorax Hospital coincides with the entrance for goods and waste.
It was also mentioned that handling and storage do not take place in isolation from potential sources of contamination and infections.
Furthermore, transports are carried out without proper temperature and hygiene controls. Correa noted that the presence of a warehouse door allowing dirt from outside to enter has resulted in decay of the goods.
Concerns were also raised about the inadequate storage of cardboard boxes and vegetables without ventilation, lack of inspection of incoming goods, and the failure of transport providers to adhere to regulatory measures.
The spokesperson for NC-BC in Tenerife also highlighted issues with the food warehouse such as disregarding expiration dates, inadequate stock replenishment, and lacking temperature, ventilation, and humidity controls.
Regarding the freezing chambers, day warehouse, cold rooms, and processing areas, he described them as “completely scandalous,” emphasizing the accumulation of defects and poor hygiene based on testimonies and images.
In terms of workplace safety, it was mentioned that kitchen staff have reported equipment and materials overload and imminent dangers in the kitchen area, as well as non-compliance with regulations on the non-slip kitchen floor, leading to numerous serious accidents and endangering the safety of the staff.
Immediate action required
Canarian leaders demanded urgent action from the Government of the Canary Islands to rectify this deplorable and unjustifiable situation.
They have called for the construction of a new kitchen equipped with all the necessary technical and human resources to ensure proper functioning and food safety, a demand that Caraballo will formally present to the Health Department.
Title: Concerns Raised by Nueva Canarias Regarding Kitchen Conditions at HUNSC
Committee of the Parliament of the Canary Islands.
As per the Tenerife representative, Nueva Canarias asserted that the numerous letters forwarded to the Department of Health and the hospital administration, along with supporting evidence depicting the staff’s grievances, “clearly demonstrate the inherent risks” faced by HUNSC patients.
From his perspective, it would be “unthinkable” for the kitchen of any dining establishment to function in such conditions, making it “alarming to consider this as a public facility”.
NC-BC highlighted that despite La Candelaria recently undergoing a significant renovation, the kitchen area now caters to three times the number of services it was originally intended for.
Valentín Correa commended the staff’s relentless effort in operating daily within these “appalling” conditions as “heroic”. He emphasized that “ensuring the delivery of quality meals to the wards is solely achievable due to the team’s hard work and commitment in overcoming the daily challenges they face.”
