Country Court is delighted to announce that their Hospitality Team have won the Innovation Award at the Public Sector Catering Awards 2021. The award winners were announced at a glittering awards ceremony at the Hilton London Metropole on 11th September. The innovation award is for a product or service innovation that has dramatically changed an operator’s catering strategy. The concept must be original, and the entry must be able to quantify the impact the innovation has had on the operation and the customer.
The Hospitality Team at Country Court is responsible for the complete hospitality service at Country Court, including catering, front of house and housekeeping services. This holistic approach ensures that residents at the group’s thirty-three care homes receive consistent standards of hospitality and catering.
“We are passionate about providing the very highest standards of care and hospitality for our residents.” Explained Head of Hospitality Anwar Kajee. “Last year we rolled out a comprehensive training programme for staff to ensure our 5-star standards of hospitality are embedded in our day-to-day service. However, we wanted to ensure that these high standards were delivered consistently over time. We were looking for ways to prompt and remind staff of the standards they should be aspiring to”.
Catering Operations Support Manager Steven Ireland came up with the idea to film the set-up of communal areas and activity spaces. These short videos demonstrate how each area should be set ready for residents to use each day. A small sticker with a QR code is placed discretely in each room so that any staff member can scan the code and view the video before cleaning and setting up the room.
“Our short videos have been a great reminder for staff as to how to set up communal areas.” Said Steven. “During general day to day use, furniture and fittings often get moved around. For residents living with dementia, it can be confusing if a room layout changes. By videoing the original set up we can show staff how to return it to its correct set-up after an activity. Presenting a space at its’ best ensures it is an inviting and appealing space for residents to use and enjoy. The project has received very positive feedback from housekeeping staff who have found the videos very helpful”.
“We are delighted to be recognised with this award for our team’s innovative and creative approach,” said Co-CEO Alykhan Kachra. “The Hospitality team go above and beyond to deliver consistently high standards. They work hard every day to ensure that our homes are luxurious yet homely places for our residents to live. They deserve recognition for their efforts.”