Breaking News – Hospital Pays High Price for Patient Health

Posted on 18 January, 2012 by Kirsten Kennedy

Croydon University Hospital was recently forced to pay in excess of £20,000 to close down a Burger King branch established on its premises.

The hospital, which is facing £34.7 million cuts over the next four years, has already been forced to cut 200 jobs and close four wards due to a lack of funding. The £24,000 paid to terminate the contract with Burger King would have been enough to cover the salary of a lower grade nurse for a year if otherwise allocated.

Burger King’s outlet has been running in the hospital’s entrance area has been serving food to patients and visitors for 14 years, but Croydon Health Service said “the world had changed” since the initial contract was signed in 1997. Recent pressure from health campaigners, claiming that the hospital was hypocritical for benefiting from a fast food company during an obesity crisis, was a contributing factor to the removal of Burger King in favour of coffee chain Costa.

Freedom of information laws allowed the public to access data relating to the contract, where it was revealed that the NHS Trust paid the £24,000 to Compass UK, which was the company operating the fast food franchise. However, a spokesperson for the trust was keen to reassure the public that none of the money would go to Burger King; it was used for legal fees and the agreed-upon price for termination of contract with Compass UK.

Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks wholeheartedly supported the move, saying “From the first time I saw the wretched burger joint I was unhappy about it. Advertising and selling fast food, which is generally unhealthy, really grates with what a modern hospital is about.”

Chief Executive of Croydon Health Service, Nick Hulme, pointed out that the hospital did not have direct control over businesses operating on its premises, but added “We made a business decision to invest in this change which will give our patients and visitors a better service.”

Hospital bosses hope the entrance area will now be a healthier environment, and will be able to earn back some of the money lost through a proposed pharmacy, which should, if approved, open later this year.




Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Recent Posts

Interest Rates Impact on Commercial Property

Commercial Property Investment Outlook for 2023

The best places to stay on the Riviera

The latest property data has identified Newquay as the fastest property seller’s market in the UK

Investing in your garden can increase your property’s value

French Riviera temping high-end homebuyers

How can the ownership rights of my commercial property impact a business sale?

Should I incorporate virtual property viewings permanently?

Investment expected to increase across Asia-Pacific in 2021

UK property industry slows as the conclusion of tax break looms

BNP Paribas cautioned investors on Friday as debt-trading bonanza that increased its earnings this past year

Over 300,000 property purchases fell through in 2020 – we show the most frequent motives and the best way to get your house sale back on track

House Prices in the Capital Surpass £500,000

Optimism from the Bank of England’s chief economist

The most expensive commercial properties.

Businesses operating from shared premises will miss out on grants