A new £3million (CPU) at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust’s New Cross Hospital enables food to be cooked and chilled on-site and re-heated at ward level.
Pictured: Martin Cantor, Catering Project Manager with just cooked and portioned mashed potato. Producing 2,000 meals daily in a five day week, it could produce three times that number. Some 25 staff work at the CPU with a further 60 at ward level.
The CPU was designed initially by foodservice consultant Kate Gould, FCSI. Martin Cantor then project managed the design/build process: “The kitchen had to last 10 years.
“For producing– mince, mashed potato, rice pudding – standard items off the menu in volume, the Hackman Metos kettles are absolutely brilliant,” says Martin.
Meals are delivered in a specially constructed trailer, using Thermoport insulated boxes to maintain a consistent cool temperature. The ‘dolly’ takes the Thermoports to lifts serving 30 wards.
BGL Rieber supplied four Proveno Combi Pro kettles, two x 200 L, two x 150 L. Proveno’s will automatically cook and mix, ensuring nothing sticks or burns. They also have an optional cooling facility.
Rieber Thermoports scored highest on a competitive tender. One winning aspect of the Thermoport system is that their castors do not wobble at walking speed, so progress through busy wards is smooth and quiet.
Consultancy by Kate Gould 
INVERCLYDE
BGL Rieber has also supplied four x 300 L Hackman Metos Proveno Cool Pro kettles for a new cook-freeze CPU at Inverclyde Royal Infirmary.
Similar to the Combi Pro, these models feature automatic stirring and whipping (using a bottom mounted attachment) to suit different recipes, but automatic cooling is also part of the system.