Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, the former Labour MP and Health Minister, who now sits on the Public Services Committee in the House of Lords, had hoped to deliver the keynote address but had to pull out at the last moment with Covid.
The late change to plans left HCA Chair Brian Robb to step forward earlier to outline his vision for the future of the the HCA as well as touch on the issues Lord Hunt had planned to talk about - the Health and Care Bill, the Hospital Food Review and the association's own change of status.
There was also a discussion in more detail about the Hospital Food Review involving, from NHS E&I, Phil Shelley, senior operational & policy manager and Alexandra Hammond, head of sustainable procurement and supply chain, together with Helena Diffey, senior policy advisor on public sector food procurement at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).
The day will conclude with the award of the HCA annual awards at a gala dinner.