How hospital catering moved from homecooked to high-quality
How hospital catering moved from homecooked to high-quality
Shifting from traditional Cook-Serve to Cook-Freeze can be a great step forward in enhancing efficiency and food quality, but such a big change is a bold move in a hospital setting. Jim Banks explores how Leighton Hospital in the UK smoothly navigated this change with support from Burlodge.
When Paula Bamber took over as head of facilities at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2022, she immediately realized the foodservice offering at Leighton Hospital in Crewe needed a rethink. The traditional hot-line produced food with a homecooked feel, but that was the only positive. “Catering operations were in a bit of a mess,” Bamber explains. “They were very old-fashioned, there was no innovation, and it was not a great place to work.
In 2023, we got a new catering manager with a wealth of experience and knowledge, and everything was immediately better, but we knew we needed real change so that we were less reliant on the chefs.” The operation Bamber had inherited was fragile – one absent chef could disrupt the entire operation. The menu was limited, inflexible, and inefficient. “We were at critical-point failure,” Bamber says. “I looked at alternatives, including Cook-Chill, which had very little good feedback, as it creates a lot of waste and there is little shelf life. Waste was already high with traditional hot-line cooking. Then we looked at Cook-Freeze, which had a raft of positives. It took a year to plan for the switch and get approval, but we eventually got full backing from the board.”
Now, Leighton Hospital, which has 500 beds and serves approximately 500,000 meals every month, is sourcing starters and main courses from key partner Apetito, while its in-house chefs cook desserts and food for the retail outlet. “That blended approach has actually saved us money,” Bamber adds. “We employ fewer chefs, as food is bought in, and everything is more efficient. The stocking, the contingency plans, and the menu changes are all done through Apetito. The food is of higher quality, too. Traditional cooking is lovely and homely, but there was too much running against it to keep it going.”
The same but different
To deliver a sea change in the quality of its catering services, the hospital turned to long-time partner Burlodge, which mobilized 30 Multigen trolleys to support the new delivery model. Similar models were already familiar to the staff, but the team of catering assistants had to become familiar with more modes of operation. “Before, staff would simply collect the trolley and take it to ward and serve, but now there is more responsibility,” explains Shelley Hudson, Burlodge UK regional sales manager.
“With the trolley’s split chamber and its dual oven divider, there are effectively two convection ovens. Dense food, vegetables, and liquefied meals for people with dysphagia – difficulty swallowing – can be loaded and cooked all at once.” “The chambers are very well insulated, which is important in the hospital setting,” she adds. “If you get to ward level and there is an emergency, like someone having a heart attack, then food service has to stop. So, you can put the trolley on hot hold mode, although with the intense level of insulation that might not even be necessary.” Most employees were already familiar with the trolleys, so the transition was relatively easy, and training was minimal. With just three buttons, it is simple to understand how the trolleys work and initiate the cooking process. There is a 90-minute cooking cycle, then the food is probed to check for temperature and quality.
“We also have the BCloud software,” says Bamber. “That means the information from the temperature probes is automatically recorded and logged on the cloud, where it cannot be manipulated. That is essential for HACCP monitoring and environmental health. It also cuts short any discussions if the ward says that we have served soup cold, for example, as we have the temperature records, and the dishes stay in heated trolleys.”
Building partnerships
In just a short time, the impact has been remarkable. From the hospital’s point of view, meal service is more efficient, food quality has improved, and disruptions are extremely rare. From the patient’s perspective, there is more choice and food – along with visitors – has become a highlight of the day. There are now 84 dishes on the menu, rather than 24. Patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
Technology has played a key role in this transformation, but equally important is the relationship between all parties. “Shelley from Burlodge has amazing knowledge,” says Bamber. “She knows every nut and bolt, and we always felt totally safe in her hands. The service is fantastic, and if I call her, I know she will be on-site right away to solve any problem.” “It is all about what the client needs,” adds Hudson. “This is a partnership, and it is about finding the right solution through the lifecycle of the trolley, which means after-sales service, engineers, and everything else.” Implementing change in institutional settings can be intimidating, but with the right partners and technology, it is possible to redefine the standards of hospital catering.
Burlodge was founded 41 years ago in the UK
5 Burlodge has operations in five countries in Europe and North America
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From advanced meal delivery trolleys to digital monitoring systems, Burlodge provides solutions that help hospitals deliver safe, efficient, and high-quality patient meals.
