Sodexo extends partnership with Birmingham Children's Hospital

Sodexo has extended its partnership with Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust with a new £11m, five-year patient dining and retail services contract at its children's hospital.

Sodexo will be building on its previous 10-year contract with Birmingham Children's Hospital, with the addition of the Parkview Clinic, a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) inpatient facility.

The contract will see Sodexo invest in the food, eating and retail facilities across the hospital and Parkview, with a new 120-cover staff and visitor restaurant, the first Crussh outlet outside of London and the refitted Conservatory café, all staffed by Sodexo's 50-strong team.

The menus will see 95% of the food served cooked fresh on site, with regular tasting sessions by children at the onsite school, to give feedback on menu design and to further educate the pupils on the importance and benefits of good nutrition.

Stuart Winters, chief executive of healthcare, Sodexo UK and Ireland, said: "Extending our 10-year partnership with Birmingham Children's Hospital was a clear opportunity to review and overhaul patient dining and retail provision. Our new menus will offer improved and tailored choices with a clear focus on fresh food and locally sourced produce. These have been designed to ensure that we give the right nutrition to children and young people to help them heal and recover, and play a part in the Children's Hospital staff continuing to deliver the best possible care.

Marion Harris, chief nurse at Birmingham Children's Hospital, added: "We're pleased to continue our work with Sodexo and we're excited to see the improvements and benefits that this new contract will bring to our staff, children, young people and families."

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