Nutritious meals around the clock
Steamplicity’s efficient steam cooking process helped Basildon & Thurrock Hospital provide varied, nutritious hospital meals 24/7, reducing NHS resource strain and freeing up precious space for building projects.
The brief
A fresh approach
Serving a population of over 400,000 with approximately 700 beds, Basildon & Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust wanted to step up their patient dining experience and offer more variety to their patients.
Unlike other traditional catering options that only offered regenerated food, Steamplicity set itself apart from competitors with its unique steam cooking process, meaning fresh ingredients like fish and vegetables could be cooked within minutes. Impressed by its efficiency and consistent quality, Basildon & Thurrock switched their food supply to Steamplicity.
“The Steamplicity concept has allowed us to cater for our patients 24 hours a day, with minimal pressure on valuable NHS resources.”
- Donna Hudson, Deputy Facilities Manager
The solution
Three-minute miracles
To improve their existing plated meal system, the Trust were looking to pack more nutrition and variety into every bite of their hospital meals. And, of course, everything had to taste as good as it looked to tempt patients’ appetites!
The Steamplicity team supported the Trust's catering team with a detailed project plan, including tasting sessions and comprehensive training. By simply plugging in the microwave at ward level, staff could now offer patients freshly cooked hot meals around the clock.
“With a simple step-by-step training programme, all members of our ward teams are able to produce hot and nutritious meals in a matter of minutes.”
- Donna Hudson, Deputy Facilities Manager
The outcome
Better food, better care
The switch to Steamplicity significantly reduced the strain on NHS resources across many areas. In addition to providing 24/7 patient catering, Steamplicity’s detailed nutritional breakdowns and dietitian support removed the need for local nutritional analysis. The extensive menu and efficient service were well received, improving patient satisfaction considerably.
The switch to Steamplicity also freed up 466m² of space in the catering services department. This space has since been used to support further building projects, allowing vital capital funding to be redirected and invested in other areas of the hospital.
"The extensive menu range means there’s something for everyone to choose from, which goes down very well with our patients.”
- Jean Hewitt, Ward Housekeeper
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