28.01.2025

Medirest and South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust form new partnership with service users at its heart

• Partnership aims to enhance the patient, staff and visitor experience
• Includes catering and cleaning services

Medirest, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, has been awarded the catering and cleaning contract with South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, starting from May 2025. This agreement will deliver catering for patients, staff, and visitors, as well as cleaning services.

South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust serves 1.2 million people across the London boroughs of Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton, and Wandsworth. They are a 2,700-strong team, providing high quality mental health care, treatment and recovery support to 40,000 people from South West London and beyond at any given moment. It operates across several sites, with Medirest set to deliver services in its two main hospitals: Springfield University Hospital in Tooting and Tolworth Hospital in Kingston.

Medirest will deliver high-quality catering solutions to address the diverse needs of patients, staff and visitors. Patient catering will see the introduction of over 100 dishes from the Moreish range, which provide choice and flexibility. The meals are expertly created by Chefs and approved by Dietitians, each new product is shaped to incorporate the views and diversity of patients, food trends and innovation. Medirest will engage with patients to gather feedback and evolve menus, ensuring quality, taste and comfort. Patients will benefit from additional choice and personalised meal options tailored to individual dietary needs, promoting overall health and wellbeing.

Medirest will expand its food offerings for staff and visitors, ensuring healthy, convenient options are always available. Digital solutions, such as pre-ordering and payment platforms, will make the dining experience efficient and seamless.

Additionally, Medirest will maintain its digital-led kitchen concept at Springfield Village, allowing the team to prepare fresh meals to order, with minimal food waste. Customers can access these meals through the digital platform.

Within the cleaning service, Medirest's approach is built on efficiency, sustainability, and hygiene excellence, creating safe, clean, and welcoming environments. Medirest will deploy cutting-edge technologies to enhance the patient experience by ensuring consistent and thorough hygiene through advanced cleaning innovations.

By combining its expertise in catering and cleaning, Medirest delivers a holistic solution that enhances the overall environment and ensures a positive, supportive experience for all patients.

Medirest is looking forward to welcoming new team members, all of whom will be paid the London Living Wage or above and team members will receive a free meal when working. Every team member will also be trained to enhance patient experience, including the Positive Impressions framework.

Medirest values its team members and is committed to creating opportunities for its people through Compass’ ‘Our Social Promise’, offering learning and training programmes such as apprenticeships, internships, and Career Pathways.

Russell Blake, MD - Healthcare, Compass Group UK & Ireland, commented: “Medirest has a well-established history of forming strategic partnerships. We look forward to implementing this into our new contract with South West London and St George’s. Our people are our greatest asset, and we are excited to welcome our new team members as part of this partnership.”

Ian Garlington, Better Communities Programme Director for South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, commented: “We are looking forward to establishing a partnership approach with Medirest, supporting us to empower our patients, offering additional choice and diversity, and keeping them at the heart of everything we do. We will work together to create great services that will improve the experience of people across our Trust and support the delivery of high quality patient care for our South West London communities.”