ABSTRACT
A cross sectional study of the dietary services for patients in Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi was conducted to assess the existing system in vogue to see if it is proper or not and what ways and means can be adopted for its improvements. Study parameters were established which included personnel involved in dietary services, diet schedules, entitlement of hospital dietary/hospital stoppages, procurement and transportation of food articles, central storage, delivery of food items to kitchens, state of kitchen, food handling personnel, preparation of food, distribution of food in the ward and existing system of evaluation of dietary services. Food standards were formulated in the light of available literature of WHO, US Health department and Pakistan Army regulations/instructions. The standards were compared with the findings obtained through questionnaire/interviews. It was found that no separate organizational structure of dietary services exists. The in charge of the dietary services was not a qualified dietician. All personnel involved in different stages of dietary services were also found untrained and unqualified. Job descriptions formulated in standing operating procedures of the hospital for the personnel of dietary services were not complete and comprehensive. Cooks for patients were deficient and there was no system of collection of meat, chicken and fish in proper boxes. There was no satisfactory arrangement of washing hands/toilet facility for cooks. The food distribution in the ward was not satisfactory and there was no system of reviewing/evaluation of dietary services