A CATERING operations manager at Musgrove Park Hospital has been recognised in the food industry for her incredible dedication to the wellbeing of colleagues in her team.

Amanda Vickery took home an award for ‘Enhancing Health and Wellbeing’ in this summer’s Honouring Healthcare Champions Awards, run by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s food supplier, apetito.

It was part of the national celebrations of this year’s Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day, where apetito crowned six estates and facilities heroes across the country who’re going above and beyond for the sector.

In the spirit of recognising the essential work of those working within the estates and facilities professions, apetito launched the nationwide competition to its healthcare customers, allowing them to nominate the stars of their departments, with the chance of winning a luxury Fortnum & Mason hamper from the meal provider to say 'thank you' for all that they do.

Amanda was thrilled to hear that she’d not only been nominated by colleagues in her team, but had also won the award – and she very much enjoyed the well-deserved hamper.

She has worked at Musgrove Park Hospital for 33 years, starting off as a catering assistant, working her way up to team leader, and then supervisor.

Then she moved into retail, before becoming more involved in the finance aspects of catering, and then working in our community services for six months to gain experience and build important relationships after the first merger between the legacy Taunton and Somerset and Somerset Partnership trusts.

“I feel really shocked to have won the award and I’m so proud that they thought of me,” said Amanda. “To be honest, while I feel very humbled, it’s really the whole team who deserve this award!

“I think I was nominated in this particular category because I’m a very caring person, and I’ll make sure any concerns raised to me by the team are dealt with – I very much have an ‘open door policy’. 

“I’m a firm believer that colleagues can tell me anything they want, and I’ll do everything I can to listen and help them find a solution to their problems.”