Catering Written by Craig Smith
Empowering recovery through food
The HCA was one of the first professional associations to be formed within the NHS and was founded by 25 London hospital catering officers. Whilst our first branches were established in the North and Scotland in the 1950s, we have now grown to 15 branches throughout the UK. Our members represent more than 250 NHS trusts. And our network is the single largest group of healthcare catering/facilities providers within the NHS.
The forefront of patient care As a national organisation, we aim to promote, develop and improve the standards of catering in hospitals and healthcare establishments. Craig Smith, chairman of the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA), To achieve this, we support, educate and train explains why investing in high standards of catering is so important people working in healthcare catering services. Ultimately, improving the professional interests With more than 300 million meals served millions of pounds worth of food, services and and status of healthcare catering practitioners. every year and approximately £500 million equipment to the hospital catering sector. Our mission is to set a clear path to keep spent on food annually by around 300 Although the provision of meals for the HCA at the forefront of patient NHS trusts across approximately 1,200 patients is our principal function, care, whilst addressing the hospitals, the NHS is the UK catering our members are also needs of our other customers Our industry’s largest provider of meals. responsible for providing including staff and visitors. focus is Established in 1948, the Hospital Caterers meals for doctors, nurses We recognise that Association (HCA) is the professional body and ancillary hospital we cannot do this in provide to a representing almost 400 senior healthcare staff. Every day they also isolation, therefore are t r u l p y atient-c managers who provide a wide range of cater to visitors who committed to working service, entred food services for patients, staff and visitors dine in the hospital with the Royal College in NHS hospitals and healthcare facilities restaurants, dining of Nursing (RCN), and the nee meeting d s nationwide. Our network of members is rooms or cafe facilities. allied professional o f e individu v responsible for the jobs of 35,000 people, Through these additional organisations such al patie ery 55 per cent of which are hospital chefs and services, hospital caterers as the British Dietetic nt in our c are kitchen-based catering staff. Amongst our help to generate more Association (BDA) and the associate membership is more than 100 than £150 million worth Royal College of Speech and suppliers who are responsible for supplying of income for the NHS. Language Therapists. E Issue 19.2 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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