FEATURE
service whereby patients could eat what they wanted, when they wanted.” The challenge, however, was how to provide this type of service efficiently.
Modern technology was the catalyst for change. The Host chefs were able to provide a call order service, but fi rst a system had to be put in place to simplify communications between the ward and the kitchen.
Patients who are unwell often don’t want to eat pre-determined meals at set times.
The Anniversary Centre Cafe at St Christopher's — staffed by volunteers with food and managment provided by Host.
a traditional Sunday lunch surrounded by other people
The café is staffed by volunteers (another mechanism to achieve closer links with the community), and Host chefs prepare and cook the food and supervise and train the volunteers who work front of house.
Host has worked closely with Nigel and his team to constantly modernise the meals on offer to patients. The original inpatient meal service was distributed by ward staff from heated trolleys and these were served at set times but, according to Nigel, this didn’t meet the needs of the patients well enough:
“The challenge with this system was two-fold — maintaining the consistency of food quality and presentation when it may have been kept hot for a long period of time, and secondly, patients who are unwell often don’t want to eat pre-determined meals at set times. With only 48 patients, we believed that we could run meal times more along the lines of hotel room
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Paul Blacker, Host’s Operations Manager, said: “We explored all sorts of options — from using tablet devices for patients to order through, to using restaurant-style ordering systems which transmit orders from the point of order to the kitchen. In the end, we developed something akin to a hotel call order menu system, but having multiple touchscreen modules around the ward was not the best idea from a security or hygiene perspective.
“The ultimate solution we opted for was part technology, part manual. We’ve located a touch screen in every ward, which enables orders to be placed directly with the kitchen. Patients are given a lightweight aluminium case containing the menu and they decide what they would like to eat and at what time, and the order is then sent to the kitchen. Order to delivery takes 25 minutes and the result is a freshly prepared dish that is exactly what the patient is in the mood for.”
The reality for many patients is that when they feel unwell, most seek comfort food that is easy on the palate like lasagne, casseroles, or even scrambled eggs with toast. The new system enables them to have
this, which also means that Host has cut food wastage in the process.
Vera Mirescu is Host’s Catering Manager at St Christopher’s. Vera started working there in 2009 and is also an integral part of Nigel’s team. According to Host’s Paul Blacker, “Vera works tirelessly to make sure the catering at St Christopher’s helps provide the type of calming environment that the hospice aims to create. She is always going out of her way to create lovely experiences for patients and visitors and takes such pride in her work.”
In 2013, Vera’s exemplary efforts were recognised when she won Caterer magazine’s Extra Mile Award at their inaugural Foodservice Catey Awards.
“We really have an incredible team of people in the catering department at St Christopher’s, and Vera leads by example all the way,” Paul continued, “She and the Head Chef meet every new patient and their family when they come to St Christopher’s inpatient unit and they fi nd out what sort of food they enjoy. That way, we can make sure that we always have something available for them because food can play a big part in their day and it’s important that their stay is as ‘normal’ as possible.
“Our team is made up of a unique blend of people who are always coming up with new ideas to add fun and interest to mealtimes. Whether that is with the weekly curry night, special pizza nights or summer barbecues, Vera and the team like to bring a sense of fun and enjoyment to meal experiences. It can be tough emotionally to work in this environment, but they are a truly compassionate group of people who take such pride in their work.”
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