One of the government’s strategic suppliers, Sodexo, which provides catering, cleaning and other services, is part of an industry-wide response to help fight the virus.
It is helping the Department for Health and Social Care to set up Covid-19 testing centres that offer drive-through testing for NHS and other key workers.
It is also is recruiting and preparing the teams needed to conduct these tests.
It has also redeployed staff to support its busy NHS hospitals with catering, cleaning and portering. They have been moved from parts of the business that have slowed down owing to the impact of Covid-19.
Sean Haley, regional chair, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “I am immensely proud of how our teams and the wider industry have come together to share our expertise and work in partnership with the NHS to fight the threat posed by COVID-19.
“It has never been more apparent that our business lives and breathes its values. I applaud colleagues who had previously worked at a racecourse serving hospitality packages or had cleaned busy offices, for moving across to use their skills in a hospital or other healthcare environments that urgently needs their help right now.
“Today, we are all working together to help in the effort to fight Covid-19. We stand ready to respond to further requests for support as the pandemic unfolds.”
The company has been involved from the early stages of the outbreak, with teams mobilised within 48 hours to provide catering, concierge and security services for the first British coronavirus evacuees returning from Wuhan, China.
It was was one of NHS England’s partner organisations supporting them throughout their 14-day quarantine at Arrowe Park hospital near Liverpool.