Hospital cafe renamed after 'dedicated' manager
BBCA west London hospital cafe has been renamed in honour of its long‑serving manager who, according his bosses, has helped create a welcoming space for patients, staff and visitors for three decades.
Joe's Café at Royal Brompton Hospital recognises the contribution of Jose Paculan, who goes by Joe, and has worked there for 34 years.
Catering services manager Nuno Matias said the name change was "our way of saying thank you to Joe, and the whole cafe team". He added: "They support our community and brighten the days of people who walk through our doors."
Paculan said he felt "privileged" to have his name above the coffee shop and was "proud of the team".
He told BBC London their role was to make sure patients' and visitors' stays were "comfortable and easy", but added: "The hardest part is seeing them cry.
"We let them get on with it and then we take it from there."
Yolande Smuts-Gardener, deputy catering manager, said Paculan was "very dedicated to his job" and described him as "the heart and soul" of the department.
Smuts-Gardener added: "He embodies what it means to work for the NHS and you can see he really cares."
Paculan said he grew up in the Philippines and moved to the UK as a teenager.
His first job in the NHS was at St Charles Hospital in Ladbroke Grove, before he transferred to Royal Brompton Hospital to run the cafe.
He said: "It's not just a coffee shop. It's a place where you can come and meet people as well and maybe that will help you get through the problem.
"It's good, we're a little family."
He added: "Whatever you do in life, take pride in it. You do it with all the heart and you're happy to go home, you know that you've earned it."
Paculan said he hoped to continue working at the cafe for many years to come.
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