Icing on the cake for Pennine Acute Trust catering service as it wins national award

Members of the Trust’s catering departments from around the hospital sites are pictured with their certificate and trophy

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust catering team has been crowned the national catering service team of the year 2014.

Awarded by the Hospital Caterers’ Association, the accolade went to the catering teams which cover all of the Trust’s hospitals.

The 2014 Awards recognised the worthiest caterers who are rising above the challenges and providing a service that goes above and beyond the day-to-day catering requirements, to enhance the patient experience and support the healing work of the medical teams with healthy, nutritious food.

Invited to the Hospital Caterers’ Association national conference awards ceremony in Birmingham, the team was delighted when their name was called out from amongst the five finalists.

The Award is in recognition of the work the Trust wide team have been doing over the last 12 months which includes:

• Education to patients and staff around nutrition and hydration encompassing good practice. 
• Protected meal times for patients. Each patient should have a protected hour, free from unnecessary visits from staff and relatives so that they can enjoy their meals in peace. 
• Collaborative work with celebrity chef James Martin on the BBC1 programme ‘Operation Hospital Food’. The Royal Oldham Hospital appeared on the show and got glowing reports from James as they worked together to improve the children’s menu at The Royal Oldham Hospital. This work has now been rolled out at NMGH.  
• The design of a tool so that nurses, dieticians and catering staff could work together to check best practice is being provided to patients. 

Howard Cartledge, Trust catering lead, said: “I am very proud of our catering team. They constantly strive to provide a first class service to all our patients and visitors. This national award is recognition of the high standard they set themselves and will only lead them to continue to go the extra mile.”

“We were also recognised for achieving five star environmental health officer (EHO) reports and excellent PLACE scores which review standards of cleanliness and the environment for patients.

“The retail side of our business also contributed to our win and the pride of Oldham nomination for The Shop at The Royal Oldham Hospital taken into consideration.”

Pam Miller, the Trust’s associate director of facilities, added: “It goes without saying that everyone who has a role in ensuring patients receive good nutritious food across all our hospitals have played a part in our success and the team were absolutely delighted to receive this honour from the Association and be recognised for all the hard work done to improve patient and staff catering services within our four hospitals sites.

"Our aim now will be to continue to improve the patient, visitor and staff experience and be the first Trust in 67 years of the Hospital Caterers’ Association to win the award two years on the run.”