Triple NHS Exemplar status awarded to Barnet Hospital

Barnet Hospital in partnership with Medirest, the healthcare division of Compass Group UK & Ireland, has achieved the prestigious NHS ‘Exemplar’ status across portering, catering and cleaning.

A team of NHS England representatives visited the hospital in July this year to evaluate and review services. The acknowledgements have been confirmed due to:

• The outstanding leadership and collaboration between the portering team, other facilities teams and clinical colleagues.
• The use of digital technology to shape and prioritise workload, as well as utilising digital tools to enable flexibility in reacting to day-to-day challenges. In particular excellent evidence that the cleaning standards provide the tools for success.
• Evidence of positive working relationships at ward level, which showed clear knowledge of the demand on clinical services as well as the ability to flex and prioritise to meet and adapt to this.
• The excellent teamwork and organisation within the catering teams. Team members were extremely proud of their menus and service model, which was evidently meeting the varying needs of patients.

Barnet Hospital and Medirest have partnered since 2007. The NHS Exemplar recognition acknowledges the delivery of the best-in-class service and that the team will share learnings and experiences to enable other Trusts to follow suit.

Emma Brookes, Head of Soft FM Strategy and Operations at NHS England, commented: “It is so encouraging to see true partnership working between our hospitals and our facilities management partners to ensure patients, staff and visitors have access to great food in a clean and safe environment that supports patient care and recovery.”

Deborah Sanders, Barnet Hospital, Chief Executive said: “This is a phenomenal achievement for our domestic, portering and catering colleagues. I am so pleased that they have been recognised in this way, as they work so hard to help deliver excellent care for our patients. They should be incredibly proud of themselves. This award is testament to the wonderful partnership between Medirest and Barnet Hospital – congratulations to everybody.”

Barnet Hospital follows in the footsteps of the Royal Surrey County Hospital to become the second hospital to achieve all three elements of recognition within the NHS.

Based in north London, Barnet Hospital is part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust group, offering a wide range of acute medical services. These include paediatrics, dermatology, gynaecology, maternity services and cancer surgery among others.