28.03.2024

Medirest and One Retail achieve recognition at the HSJ partnership Awards

The partnership between Medirest and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust has been named as the “Gold” winner of the ‘Long-Term NHS Partnership Award’ at the HSJ Partnership Awards 2024, in recognition of their outstanding dedication to improving healthcare and effective collaboration with the NHS.

Almost three decades ago, Medirest and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust (RSH) began their successful partnership with a traditional catering contract. From there, a proactive and professional approach expanded to encompass domestic services, portering, waste, pest control, car park services and external security. In 2023, the Trust was the first to be awarded triple NHS Exemplar site status across portering, cleaning and catering.

In addition, Compass’ One Retail team were celebrating a “Silver” in the ‘Social Value Initiative of the Year’ category. This was for their work in the Wellness Hub at University Hospital Southampton Trust (UHST) to enhance its work with Change Please, which supports homeless people into employment. The partnership with Southampton has included opening Bevan’s Café to develop a holistic programme of training and support, as well as charitable donations.

Russell Blake, Managing Director for Healthcare - Compass Group UK and Ireland commented: “Our work within Royal Surrey is a demonstration of our ambition to create meaningful partnerships that work for the specific needs of our clients and their patients, visitors and staff. This is a great example of best practice – receiving NHS Exemplar site status for cleaning, catering and portering was testament to our partnership and so winning this award is fantastic and endorses our efforts.”

Andy Jones, MD One Retail MD commented: “Our One Retail team has been acknowledged for our partnership with Change Please at Bevan’s Café within the Wellness Hub at UHS NHS Trust – a facility at the heart of the community. This area of the hospital is truly unique – as the first Wellness Hub in the NHS which also delivers social value - we are so pleased to see it creating support and help for those in need.”

Finalists and winners were judged set against 5 clear criteria: ambition; outcome; spread; value and involvement. With 28 separate categories this year, the winners were announced during a ceremony held at Evolution London, on 21 March 2024, hosted by Miles Jupp. The event was attended by representatives from the NHS, and both the private and third sector as well as key players from non-clinical backgrounds, all coming together to celebrate the importance of positive partnerships and acknowledging how these underpin the future sustainability of the NHS.

The HSJ Partnership Awards are not just a celebration of success stories but also provide a high-profile platform, which can help to shape the future of the new integrated health and care system.

HSJ Partnership Award winners are automatically shortlisted for the wider HSJ Awards programme –providing a second chance to win, and even greater exposure.

HSJ editor Alastair McLellan comments: “HSJ created the Partnership Awards in 2018 to celebrate and recognise the vital contribution made by the suppliers of goods and services to the quality and development of British healthcare.

“This year’s awards demonstrate there is almost no NHS clinical or support service which does not rely – sometimes almost completely – on the efforts of external suppliers.

“Almost any attempt to improve NHS productivity – the service’s greatest challenge - without working in concert with suppliers starts at a major disadvantage. Indeed, many of the best ideas for improving productivity do and will come from suppliers. Every one of the businesses on the Partnership Awards shortlist has shown the kind of thinking and determination it takes to deliver change in healthcare services. They should all be very proud of the efforts, our 28 winners especially so.”

The winners were selected following a rigorous two-stage judging process ahead of the HSJ Partnership Awards 2024 awards ceremony. The full list of Winners and those Highly Commended for the 2024 HSJ Partnership Awards can be found at https://partnership.hsj.co.uk/winners-2024