For the second year in a row, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has been identified as one of the leading trusts in the country for cleanliness and food.

Thanks to a combined effort from catering, cleaning and the many other teams who oversee Torbay and South Devon’s environments and food provision, the Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) scored the organisation highly.

A 100% score for cleanliness placed Torbay and South Devon top. This looked at the condition of objects and facilities including patient equipment, furniture and toilets. In the food categories, which looked at choice, availability and quality, the organisation scored consistently highly.

Jake O’Donovan, Workplace Director at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “These results demonstrate the commitment and energy of all 562 of our colleagues in the workplace team. Despite the significant challenges our estate faces, our teams remain absolutely focussed on delivering an excellent experience for our patients, and their ability to think innovatively in order to get the best out of our built environment is inspiring.

“We’re really proud of what they do and the vital contribution they make to the delivery of patient care.”

Workplace are a group of departments that manage and deliver a whole range of services across Torbay and South Devon, including estate management, facilities services, hotel services and capital developments. This includes roles in cleaning, portering, gardening, electrical and mechanical maintenance, catering and many more staff groups.

PLACE data is collected by a team of assessors, made up of both patients and staff, who visit each of the settings. The scores are published by NHS England