HCA News

The South West and Wessex branches of the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) have joined forces to host a joint regional study day on Thursday 10th July at Bawa Club in Bristol from 9am-4pm.  

The event is free to attend for HCA members offering them free parking as well. The MC for the day is Phil Shelley, senior operational manager at NHS England, who has recently been awarded the Public Sector Catering Lifetime Achievement accolade.

Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) members heard how the organisation is ‘transforming’ itself to help members meet the challenges to come when they gathered in Birmingham for the annual HCA Leadership & Development Forum from 1-2 April 2025.

Welcoming hundreds of delegates, suppliers and guests to the HCA Forum, national chair Iain Robertson said that his work over the last year had been to continue the organisation’s three-year strategy for 2024-2027.

Professor Kevin Morgan of Cardiff University delivered a compelling address at the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) Forum on the pressing need to reframe food procurement in the public sector.

Drawing from his research into the failed Powys Food Links initiative, which sought to source local food for local hospitals, Professor Morgan identified EU procurement procedures and a lack of metrics for measuring health outcomes as key barriers.

A panel representing the four nations of the UK discussed the challenges and opportunities in developing and retaining catering staff across the NHS during the recent HCA Forum. 

With a focus on developing and retaining staff Duncan O’Neill (England), Deborah McNeil (Northern Ireland), Jayne Jones (Scotland), and Simon Williams (Wales) attempted to shed light on the deep-rooted staffing issues affecting NHS catering services and the collective drive to address them.

Recruitment Woes and Slow Onboarding

Compass Group UK & Ireland has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2030, outlining its sustainability journey to the HCA Forum.

Carolyn Ball, director of delivery of Net Zero, and Rees Bramwell, sustainability director, shared insights into the progress and challenges faced since the company made its bold pledge in 2021.

The second day of the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) Forum yesterday (April 2) brought together industry leaders to discuss critical issues facing hospital catering teams, including sustainability, workforce development, and the nutritional value of meals served in NHS facilities.

The Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) has unveiled a selection of images from the recent awards night, which took place on Tuesday 1st April at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole.

The HCA Awards, which aim to recognise and celebrate the commitment and contribution of the association’s members, formed part of the Leadership and Development Forum. The full range of photographs can be viewed at the bottom of this news story. 

The winners were: 

The Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) Leadership & Development Forum, which is taking place at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole from 1-2n