While the aim is for most patients to choose food from the standard menu that complies with the Nutrition Standards, some patients may need a diet that cannot be satisfied by the standard menu. In these instances, the facility will need to transition the patient to a diet targeting their specific needs.
These diets include therapeutic diets, diets supporting patient consumption or diets for religion, culture or life stage, e.g. maternity. The composition and design of these diets are guided by the Diet Specifications.
The appropriate diet can be ordered via the facility’s diet ordering system.
All diets provided within a NSW Health facility should comply with the guiding principles of the Nutrition Standards, including therapeutic diets.
The nutrient composition or modifications required for some therapeutic diets may mean the diet is unable to comply with the Nutrient Goal or Patient Choice Standard.
Compliance matrix
The compliance matrix outlines the expectations for compliance of therapeutic diet categories.
Key
- M: must comply
- S: should comply
Drag the table right to view more columns or turn your phone to landscape
| Diet group | Nutrient Goal Standard | Patient Choice Standard | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Standard diets | M | M | |
Religious, cultural, lifestyle diets | M | S | If it is feasible, they must comply. |
Modified diets to support food intake (operational diets) | M | S | If it is feasible, they must comply. |
Life stage diets (e.g. maternity diet) | M | S | If it is feasible, they must comply. |
Therapeutic diets | S | S | Some therapeutic diets will be able to comply with the Nutrition Goal and Patient Choice Standard. For instance, high fibre, high soluble fibre, lower fat diets, fluid restriction diets. If it is feasible, they must comply. |