A Perth takeaway owner who kicked up a storm after claiming health chiefs banned him from delivering free food to PRI staff has been told people can’t be left to enter wards out of hours.
Pete Chan of the China China takeaway in the Fair City has for years been hand-delivering leftover meals to Perth Royal Infirmary night staff.
He took to his popular Facebook page to slam the “jobsworths” he claims are now trying to stop him.
He said he sneaked in another entrance on Thursday night to make the delivery anyway.
He said: “I’ve been donating food to the emergency services and late night workers for well over a decade now.For more on this story, see Saturday’s Courier“Very often, in the Tak Awa, we’re left with the odd bucket of raw, chipped potatoes which we cook off at the end of the night’s service, as they won’t keep till the next day.
“The Perth Royal Infirmary in particular, has always been one of my most frequent drop off locations, due to the many hard working night staff on duty.
“Some weeks, I’ve been known to visit every night! That’s our quiet season.
“I’ve always received a very warm welcome and at times, hugs and kisses from the nursing staff.“Many have told me, how a hot supper has ‘got them through the night’ as there was no kitchen facility for them in the hospital.
“I’ve never asked for anything in return, only that the hot food doesn’t go to waste and who better to enjoy it, than those that work all night.
“Those, that may I add, that have nursed myself and members of my family through the years.
“However, this late evening, as I tried to enter I was informed I was no longer allowed to donate food to the nursing staff.
“This had come from ‘Upstairs’.”
Pete, who has previously dressed in a fancy dress “BatChan” costume to make his rounds, said he “gracefully accepted the decision before re-entering the hospital by the ambulance entrance
He said: “I can confirm all the busy Nurses in Ward 4, who were delighted to see me, are tucking into a hot, tasty supper.
“My question is ‘why?’
“For nearly twelve years I’ve dropped off food, all around the hospital and now ‘a jobsworth’ has decided ‘No more hot food to the Nurses and night staff’.
“In my humble opinion, concentration should be spent on replenishing our city with a much needed out of hours clinic or better maternity facilities where our expectant mum’s don’t have to be carted off to Ninewells and mother(s) to be and baby’s risk their lives.
“No! Let’s not do the sensible thing.
“Let’s ban one of the few things the night staff get to smile about, on a cold night like tonight.”“Not appropriate” NHS directorResponding to Pete’s comments, NHS Tayside’s associate nurse director Jim Foulis said: “It is not appropriate for members of the public to access the hospital unannounced late at night when patients are sleeping.
“Many of our patients are frail and elderly and any disturbance in the ward area may prevent them from getting a good night’s rest, which is an important part of their care.
“We understand that Mr Chan feels that he is acting with the best of intentions. However, we simply cannot have people entering wards when the inpatient areas of the hospital are effectively closed.”
Pete has previously been warned about filming inside the hospital while doing deliveries but had not been banned from attending.