Stockport NHS catering team earns further recognition with national shortlistings

The catering team within Stockport NHS Foundation Trust has earned further recognition after having been shortlisted for two more national awards.

The team, including chefs and catering assistants, provides quality food for both Stepping Hill Hospital’s inpatients on the wards, and for staff, visitors and outpatients in its restaurant, and this year is nominated for two titles at the Hospital Catering Association (HCA) awards.

The whole team has been shortlisted for ‘Team of the Year’, while the team’s leader, support services manager Erica Bell, has been shortlisted for the ‘Caterer of the Year’ title. Erica has led the team for the past two years, providing effective and supportive leadership while ensuring high standards are maintained.

Preparing appetising meals, high quality ingredients, good presentation and reducing waste are all part of the team’s daily routine, which have gone towards being shortlisted for the award. Their aim is to ensure patients, visitors and staff received high standards of nutrition. They also provide food and recipes from around the world, with special menus developed for theme days including religious, cultural, and other celebrations.

The team’s high standards have also seen them being shortlisted for a Public Sector Catering Award this year, and they have previously held the title of ‘exemplar site’ from NHS England for other catering teams to follow. Last year, their apprentice chef Joe Omolo was the joint winner of the title ‘NHS Chef of the Year’. Erica Bell herself also won the title in 2022, together with her colleague Shelley Pearson-Smith. 

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust Head of Facilities Stephen Whitehead said:

“Congratulations both to Erica and the whole catering team for their joint achievements of being shortlisted at this year’s HCA Awards, putting them up there with the best in the country. It’s great to see their high standards being honoured, and we wish them all the best for the awards.”

The HCA Awards will form part of the HCA Leadership and Development Forum, with the winners announced the event in taking place at Doubletree by Hilton Brighton Metropole on 14th and 15th April.