Deputy Hotel Services Manager Wins Public Sector Catering Manager of the Year
We are delighted to share the fantastic news that Joanne Fitzgerald (pictured left), Deputy Hotel Services Manager at NHFT, has been named Public Sector Catering Manager of the Year. This prestigious recognition, awarded by the Hospital Caterers Association and NHS Supply Chain, celebrates the outstanding achievements of leaders in healthcare catering.
In addition Kerrey Healey (pictured right), Catering Compliance Lead, who works across our hospitals was a finalist in the Chef of the Year Award.
Joanne has held the role of Deputy Hotel Services Manager since 2005, overseeing seven sites across the Trust. Her remit covers all elements of hotel services, including catering, domestic services, reception, and portering. In recent years, she has been a passionate advocate for transforming patient and staff catering to meet and exceed national food standards, focusing on innovation, sustainability, and partnership working.
Upon receiving the award, Joanne said: "I'm truly humbled and shocked to have won this award. It's a team achievement, and I couldn't have done it without the dedication and support of my colleagues, especially Kevin Westrip, Andy McLester, and our brilliant catering teams"
Key initiatives:
Joanne has delivered significant improvements across our catering services, aligning closely with NHS England's national food and health goals. Key initiatives she has led or supported include:
- Food for Life Bronze Accreditation: Collaborating with the Soil Association, NHFT introduced menus prioritising fresh, seasonal ingredients, ethically sourced meats, and sustainable practices.
- Waste reduction projects: Through innovations like blue dining plates to reduce waste on wards, food waste reuse in kitchens, and the Too Good to Go initiative, NHFT has cut waste and saved significant costs.
- Sustainable supply chains: From working with suppliers like Eat Curious and I'm So Good, to introducing Forrest Stewardship Council-accredited (FSC) packaging and saving £45,000 through plastic reductions in café outlets.
- Healthy 24/7 vending: With round-the-clock hot meal provision via vending machines, staff now have greater access to nutritious food during all shifts.
- New technologies: Including Oil Chef (cutting fryer oil use by up to 50%) and the Apetito Boomerang recycling system.
Joanne has also championed resource efficiency across the Trust, rolling out microfibre cleaning that saves over 500 litres of water per day, per site, and embedding green supply chain principles into procurement.
What's next?
The Trust is now working towards Soil Association Silver Accreditation, further expanding our commitment to healthy, sustainable food. Plans are also underway to roll out the new MenuMark ordering system, reduce packaging waste in partnership with FSC, and extend 24/7 catering across all Northamptonshire sites.
This award shows we're on the right path. It's an incredible moment for our teams and our Trust. We're excited for what comes next.
We're proud of Joanne, Kerrey and the entire catering and hotel services team for their hard work, creativity, and unwavering commitment to delivering better experiences for patients and staff alike. Their respective accomplishments recognise all that has been achieved and all that is yet to come.