Wilfrid Storace-Rutter (‘Hospital menu’, February 6) is completely right in his assessment of hospital gluten-free food.

I have a wheat allergy, which, for their own convenience, the hospital nutritionists all translate as celiac, which I am not. In recent years, I have been in hospital in Malta, Kansas, England and Ireland and, in each, the food was often so unpalatable my husband had to bring meals in for me.

At home, I regularly eat cornflakes, porridge oats and rice crispies, none of which contain wheat, but hospitals classify them as containing gluten and so they are forbidden.

Soups and gravy are generally watery because the cook has left out the wheat flour and did not have the sense to use cornflour for thickening. Chips are banned because they are sprinkled with flour in manufacture. Mashed potato with chicken, minced beef or (if you are lucky) salmon is the best you can hope for.

The idea that good wholesome food can contribute to the patient’s recovery does not seem to count for anything.

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