§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Health why the average weekly cost of food is substantially less for patients in psy- 342W chiatric hospitals than for patients in general hospitals.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonA variety of factors lead to these differences in cost, among them are:
- (1) the larger quantities of certain foods, notably milk, required for physically ill patients;
- (2) the effect of special diets in general hospitals which, even if individually they are not more expensive than standard diets, increase the variety of foodstuffs required;
- (3) the larger scope for bulk buying in some psychiatric hospitals.
Nonetheless, I believe there is room for improvement and I have asked hospital boards to keep under review food standards in their mental illness hospitals.