Some of our community members may be spending Christmas in hospital this year, but that doesn’t mean they will miss out on celebrations and special treats.

In an attempt to bring cheer to the table for patients, North West Hospital and Health Service kitchen staff take special care to cook up a festive feast on Christmas Day.

This year’s delicious Christmas Day menu includes ham and cheese croissants and fresh fruit for breakfast, roast pork and lamb with all the trimmings for lunch, and ham and chicken salads for dinner, with fruitcake and plum puddings offered throughout the day.

Designing the Christmas Day menu is a rewarding experience for kitchen supervisor Jasmine Wilson, who has been working at the Mount Isa Hospital for almost 20 years.

Ms Wilson said the kitchen team like to make make it feel as much like Christmas Day as possible for patients who are in hospital for the holiday, designing a menu inspired by traditional Christmas fare with a few extra treats.

This year, the team will serve up three meals plus morning and afternoon tea for more than 30 patients.

Ms Wilson said it was worth all the extra effort to bring a bit of cheer to patients who missed out on festivities with their families and friends.

“It’s all about innovating to provide the best food and service possible to our patients, and it is nice to be part of festivities and make a change from the normal menu,” she said.