Harefield Hospital joins Royal Brompton as 'Exemplar' catering site

Harefield Hospital has been awarded Exemplar status by NHS England for its patient and retail catering services for the first time.

The recognition, which represents the highest national standard for NHS catering, was announced at the same time that Royal Brompton Hospital successfully renewed its own Exemplar status, meaning both hospitals have now achieved the prestigious accolade.

Nuno Matias, Catering Manager for both sites, said:

“This double achievement is a testament to the dedication, professionalism and passion of our entire catering team. Every day they strive to provide freshly prepared, high-quality food and excellent service for our patients, visitors and staff. I couldn't be prouder of what they have achieved.”

Tim Radcliffe, Food Programme Manager for NHS England, said he had enjoyed his inspection of Harefield and praised “the community feel of the hospital and the evident relationships that have been forged.” He said: “The desire for continual improvement was obvious and all done with a professional and calm approach.” He added that Nuno was “an exceptional leader” and his team were “equally committed to success.”

Phil Shelley, Senior Operational and Policy Manager for Soft FM across the NHS, added his congratulations “for the outstanding achievement in reaching Exemplar status for patient and retail catering at Harefield Hospital” and added: “Brilliant work from you all.”

The award is especially significant because Harefield's catering service was brought back in-house last year after previously being delivered by an external provider. Since returning under Nuno's leadership, the service has transformed its performance, with revenue doubling to generate valuable additional income for the Trust.

One example was the team's identification of long queues at the hospital's only coffee machine, which were discouraging purchases. After installing a second machine, coffee sales increased dramatically, with income from coffee alone now three times higher than before.

Achieving Exemplar status requires a rigorous assessment across a wide range of measures, including food quality, patient satisfaction, nutritional standards, sustainability, staff engagement and overall service excellence.

Richard Grocott-Mason, Chief Executive of Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, congratulated the team on their achievement. He said: “I know from regular personal experience the exceptional quality of the freshly prepared, freshly cooked food provided to both staff and patients. The fact that the team has significantly increased income while maintaining such high standards is a remarkable achievement. This award reflects exactly what you are: an exemplary team led by exemplary leaders.”