Forth Valley Royal Hospital won the coveted title of Catering Service of the Year at the 2013 Hospital Caterers Association Awards.
Catering is one of the services provided by the facilities company, Serco, which send chefs to specialist cookery schools to improve the quality and variety of dishes on offer.
Serco contract director, Mike Mackay, said: “Food in hospitals is an important issue. At a time when many of our patients are frail or vulnerable we need to ensure they get the right support to help them recover and giving them good, freshly-prepared and nutritious food is one way of doing this. We also encourage our staff and visitors to eat healthily and are committed to providing a wide choice of dishes.”
The hospital serves more than 3,100 meals a day and provides catering to 1,200 patients throughout the Forth Valley area, including patients at Falkirk and Stirling community hospitals. Menus are developed in partnership with dieticians.
Commenting on the award, hospital catering manager, Anne Davidson, said: "NHS Forth Valley plans menus well, with the offer of at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day and fish twice a week. We always provide healthy food choices and cater for special requirements. In our stroke ward, for example, we use picture menus so patients can indicate their dietary requirements."
The other winners of the Hospital Caterers Association Awards were:
- Wilma Wilkie Outstanding Service Award: David Williamson from the East of Scotland Branch
- Caterer of the Year Award: Michael McCall, central production manager at the West of Scotland Branch
- Chairman’s Choice Award: South West Branch
- Best Trade Stand Award: Premier Foods
