Healthy plates, happy patients
Milton Keynes University Hospital was looking to make big changes to their patient dining experience, and the Cuisine Centre’s nutrient-packed ready meals were just what the doctor ordered.
The brief
Patients at the heart of change
Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH), a 550-bed acute facility, offers a full range of hospital and specialist services. Providing care in one of the UK's fastest growing cities, MKUH recognised the need to invest in patient dining to improve the overall patient experience.
The Trust identified key areas for improvement: food quality, meal variety, reducing waste, and raising Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) scores. Following a competitive market test, Steamplicity was selected as the new patient food supplier.
“The Steamplicity team assisted in all stages of the mobilisation process, from the showcases winning hearts and minds of key hospital stakeholders, assisting during the go-live phase and working with my team to provide support when needed or required.”
- Steven Hall, Hotel Services Manager
The solution
The recipe for success
We held several Steamplicity tasting sessions and showcased our range of meals to key MKUH stakeholders. We held regular review meetings to support the implementation of the new service, sharing our best practices every step of the way.
The new patient meal service was fully mobilised in June 2021 after a three-month implementation period, despite the challenging conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mobilisation plan
This plan focused on three key areas:
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Communication
The team worked closely with MKUH to win the hearts and minds of key stakeholders, dieticians, speech and language therapists and catering teams to ensure a smooth rollout.
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Training
We trained the MKUH catering team in Steamplicity processes, equipping them with the skills and best practices to help them deliver the best service to patients.
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Our investment
£70,000 was invested in the contract for new ward equipment and kitchen setup to help provide the highest quality Steamplicity service.
“The outcomes of the Hospital Food Review highlight the importance food and nutrition play for patients and we’re looking forward to offering choice and flexibility to our patients through Steamplicity.”
- Nicky Burns-Muir, Chief Nurse at MKUH
The outcome
More taste, less waste
MKUH recognised that improving patient dining was critical for improving the wellbeing and happiness of their patients. After implementing Steamplicity and listening to patient feedback, surveys showed a remarkable rise in patient satisfaction scores across the board.
Food waste is a persistent issue in hospitals that leads to high costs and inadequate dietary intake for patients. However, within just four weeks of Steamplicity’s launch, food waste dropped from 14% to 2% at MKUH. This significant cut not only led to cost savings but also reduced the Trust’s environmental footprint and supported faster recovery for vulnerable patients.
“What a fantastic choice of meals. I was not expecting that in a hospital.”
- Patient at MKUH
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