16th Apr 2012 - 00:00
Abstract
With the NHS facing the biggest cuts since its inception, hospital catering will be subjected to significant financial challenges and extremely tough operating circumstances in the years ahead.
That is why the Hospital Caterers' Association (HCA) annual conference at Wokefield Park Hotel, Reading from April 26-27, this year is entitled "Accept The Challenge, Feed The Future". Organisers say the focus will be on "innovation, inspiration and recovery" with a programme of speakers aiming "to challenge delegates to work together smarter and to help create a better healthcare system that is modern, dynamic and can react to a changing environment". The programme will focus on three areas: * Feeding Innovation: Looking at exciting developments taking place around food research * Feeding Inspiration: Focusing on catering at the Olympics and the requirement for healthy and sustainable food choices not only for athletes but for all during the event * Feeding Recovery: Addressing the issues concerned with patient food services, food allergies and eating disorders as well as examining the latest trends. The conference will be opened by former health minister Edwina Currie, who promises to give a frank and topical view on current healthcare issues. A major discussion area for the conference will be the development and introduction of new criteria for the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) Provider Compliance Assessment Tool –Outcome 5 – Meeting Nutritional Needs. This is a self assessment tool designed for hospital caterers to monitor their compliance with the essential standards of quality and safety expected by the Government for meeting patients' nutritional and hydration needs. Also on the conference programme is Dr Jocelyn Cornwall from The King's Fund on the Point of Care Programme, which aims to improve the experiences of staff and patients in acute hospitals. And Professor Heather Hartwell, Associate Professor of Health and Social Care, Bournemouth University will guide caterers in meeting the challenges set by the NHS Health and Wellbeing Improvement Framework. This focuses on workplace food, menu engineering and obesity within health professionals.
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