‘We may not be on the frontline, but catering staff still fear taking the virus to our families’

THE past four months have been anything but easy for those working in Ninewells Hospital.

In all departments, the risk of coronavirus has been at the forefront of the minds of staff as they continue working to provide a service to hundreds of patients.

Karen Allen is one of more than 100 people in the hospital’s kitchen, and she admits it has been a difficult time heading in to work during the pandemic.

She said: “It has been very quiet in the hospital, but the staff have done amazingly.

“We were worried because, even though we were not on the frontline, I kept thinking about my family.

“I kept my children in the house and didn’t let them out, even though I was coming into work every day.

“There was a low chance of catching the virus, but you never know so everyone was a bit worried.

“When I got home my uniform had to go straight into the washing machine, and I had to go and have a bath before I could even say hello to my family.

“The whole family had to adapt.

“And in the hospital when dirty dishes and trays from the Covid-19 wards come back to us, we had to keep them separate and leave them till the end of the dish washing.

“We also had to be extra careful with PPE and wash our hands right up to our elbows to keep safe.”

The Tele spoke to Karen, who prepares food for the patients, and Jackie Taylor, who works in the retail side of the catering department, about life in the busy and often chaotic hospital kitchens.

Karen said: “You need a lot of patience for this job.

“When you first come in you need to go straight into doing breakfasts, and that takes until about 8.15am to get out on to the wards.

“When the trolleys come back we have to wash all the dishes and trays and get them ready for lunchtime. It is a vicious cycle.

“We also have a separate menu and a diet kitchen for those who need vegetarian, gluten-free, halal, anything like that, it is all kept separate.”

The kitchen staff also receive some strange – and sometimes cheeky – requests from some patients.

Karen added: “Every day is totally different.

“Sometimes you get the patients putting notes on the menus they hand into us – we often get people asking for a pint of beer with their dinner.”

Jackie, meanwhile, makes the food that goes on sale in the hospital’s canteens, cafes and shops.

She explained: “When I first come in in the morning I make the baguettes for the first two hours and then I go up to the level five dining room.

Main image: Jackie serving up. Above: Karen at work.