Housekeeping and catering staff at a Dublin hospital were celebrating last night after winning two major national awards for cooking and cleaning.

Staff at the Bon Secours Hospital pulled off a rare double by winning a Gold CAP Award for excellence in both frontline departments.The CAP Awards (the Continuous Advancement Programme) measure the quality of cleaning and housekeeping in healthcare facilities across Ireland and the UK and are regarded by patients and their families as a mark of high quality.

Mike Tonery, Bon Secours Hospital Manager, said the awards were recognition of the hard work and dedication of both teams.

He said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that we have won Gold for both catering and housekeeping.

“Our hard-working, dedicated staff are the heart of this hospital and it’s down to them that the food and the condition of the buildings, day in day out, is to the highest standard.

“Congratulations to everyone involved, these awards are well deserved.”

On the housekeeping front, CAP inspectors were particularly impressed by the relentless desire of the management team to keep improving.

Ian Jackson, Managing Director of the CAP Awards, said: “Bon Secours are very worthy winners.

“There is an incredible team spirit at the hospital with committed staff and management all focused on the continual betterment of the service. Crucially, the housekeeping team work closely with the clinical side, which is essential for good patient outcomes.”

Catering won Gold because inspectors were impressed with the passion staff had to provide the best quality food for patients.

Ian added: “Quality, and suitability, of food, is so important in a hospital setting and the Bon Secours catering team has got it spot on.

“Their methods and systems of work are incredibly effective, the food they produce is high quality and tasty and they are constantly seeking patient feedback to improve their service.”

The hospital plans to continue working with the CAP Awards in the year ahead to maintain, and where possible improve, the quality of the housekeeping and catering departments.

CAP Award inspectors are industry leading experts who support hospitals and other healthcare facilities throughout the year to be the best they can be for their patients and staff.