Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has been identified as one of the leading trusts in the country for cleanliness and food, in a national assessment by the people it cares for and staff.

Thanks to the hard work of the trust’s catering, cleaning and many other teams looking after workplaces and environments, the Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) identified the organisation as being in the top five for both categories.

The trust says one of its key goals is to provide an excellent experience for patients and staff and ensuring environments are clean and safe and the best standard of food possible is provided play an important part in achieving this goal.

For cleanliness, which looked at the condition of objects and facilities including patient equipment, furniture and toilets, the trust scored full marks. In food and hydration, which looked at choice, availability and quality, the organisation was placed in the top five trusts in the country.

Trust cleaning operations manager Lynn Northcott, said: “Our cleaning teams work incredibly hard to provide the highest standard of cleanliness across all of the organisation’s sites.

“The covid-19 pandemic has changed the world we all live. Ensuring our environments are as clean as possible helps us keep the people who need our help, visitors and colleagues safe.”

Nathan Simms, catering operations manager said: “The commitment we have to provide a high standard of food and a range of options to meet everyone’s needs is something we pride ourselves on. The people in our care in ward settings are more often than not going through a difficult time, and it is great to know that we can improve their experience with the food we provide.”