Why Matt returned to Queen's Hospital, Romford

Having started working for Sodexo in his 20s at Queen’s Hospital in Romford, Matt Walsh’s career has come full circle and he’s returned to the hospital after a 10-year break. Here he talks about his first impressions of the business, how he made the tough decision to leave and why he’s now happy to be back where he belongs.

I started with Sodexo in October 2006 at Queen’s Hospital in Romford, as the security manager. The company had won a PFI contract with the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University NHS Trust to provide full facilities management services. At the time, Sodexo was an unknown entity to me and seemed very new to the security industry.

I had already worked for the Trust for five years and I was nervous about transferring over. It was a big step for me, although as Sodexo is a leading global company it seemed an attractive business to work for. I was 27 at the time; my first child was due so it was both a challenging and exciting time.

It took several months to find my feet around a brand new site – it was a huge building and there were lots of new processes to learn and staff to get to know. I was given the opportunity to handpick some porters I’d worked alongside before to come and join the security team and we were all excited at the thought of what was in store.

After a few months things began to settle down and we quickly became a team with good reputation for helping others and doing our job well. It was really something to be a part of it, and the team was receiving plenty of good feedback – something I was very proud of.

Things changed after four years in the role when I experienced some personal upset. Having grown up in the area, Queen’s was always our local hospital and that meant it could be difficult when family or friends were admitted. I was able to be close to them, help and support them but it did take its toll. I felt it might be time to move on and try to take my next career step. It was a tough decision as Queen’s had given me a great insight into my first security manager role and I was very proud of what I’d achieved. The team had just been given an ‘unsung heroes’ award from the Trust’s Chief Executive so I was able to leave on a real high.

In 2010 I moved into a new role with the local authority but remained in close contact with my old Sodexo colleagues at Queen’s; they had become like family to me. I often wondered about the possibly returning to pick up where I left off, maybe one day.

In 2021 that happened. There was an opportunity to apply for the role of security and portering manager and I successfully landed the role. I met some members of the management team, some new faces, some old; it was genuinely good to be back.

I feel proud to be working for Sodexo again and things do seem a little different now, more positive. Maybe that’s just because I’m older and (possibly!) wiser, but it feels to me like the management team are a lot closer. Sodexo as a business has certainly changed over time. They’re even more caring now and value their staff, and recognise what everyone has gone through during the pandemic.

Team work is everything in a hospital and we work well together. You never feel alone and have good support around you when you need it. The dynamics seem to be spot on; yes we have our challenges but it’s easier to conquer as a collective.

Working at Queen’s is something special. I’m very excited about what the future holds and am grateful for everyone who works around me and is there for me every day. My team of security professionals and porters have a great attitude and show a lot of passion for the work they do. It’s a real privilege to work in a team of amazing people who make things a little easier in the tough times, yet also make it fun. There’s always time for a laugh here, obviously in the right environment, but it does help.

I’m happy to be back working in the area I grew up in, and thriving on the chance to make a difference in the local community.

Find out more about careers at Sodexo