HCA National Awards 2014

We are seeking nominations for one of the four prestigious HCA awards presented at conference each year.

For further information regarding the awards and how to nominate an individual, a team or a branch for an award please follow the link >>. More…

HOSPITAL FOOD STANDARDS BILL - UPDATE

The Bill will have its second reading on 8th November 2013. More…

Hot Cookery Competition - Hotelympia 2014

We are once again searching for people who can claim to be the best NHS team chefs in the UK. Can members of your staff achieve this accolade and join the exclusive club of title holders. More…

Dysphagia Diet Food Texture Descriptors

Download a copy of the Dysphagia Diet Food Descriptors which have been endorsed by all the relevant groups of the working party are now available and are recommended to be adopted for use by all to reduce the incidents of confusion.

PLACE update

Following on from the request for feedback on your recent PLACE experiences, we collated them all and submitted them to the Department of Health whom at this point still have responsibility for PLACE. – NOTE – NHS England will take the responsibility of PLACE from this point. More…

Nutrition and Hydration Week 2014
17-23 March 2014

Catch up on the latest developments with the Issue 1 of the Nutrition and Hydration week Newsletter. More…

Nutrition and Hydration Week 2014
17-23 March 2014

We are passionate about driving health and social care nutritional care through improving, highlighting and demonstrating good nutrition and hydration practices. More…

Chairman’s Update/Blog

Click here to download

HCA Training and Development Bursary 2013

For further information and to download an application form please visit the Welcome page in the Members Login.

Dysphagia

A good practical guide regarding dysphagia has been put together by a food supplier, a copy of which can be downloaded by clicking here.

The HCA's media response to the results of the governments new patient led hospital inspection audit

On 21 September, the Department of Health published the results of the first Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) for England 2013. More…

Food & Drink should be put on a par with medicine in hospitals

Liz Evans, Chair of the National Nurses Nutrition Group (NNNG) states that "Food and Drink should be put on a par with medicine in hospitals" – to download the full article and read Andy Jones's, Chair of the HCA, response please follow the link. More…

HCA statement regarding figures relating to the NHS spend on nutritional supplements

The Campaign for Better Hospital Food (co-ordinated by Sustain) has released figures today (8 November) relating to the NHS spend on nutritional supplements which, it is claimed, is more than that spent on patient food. According to the figures, the NHS spent more than £300 million on nutritional supplements for patients in 2012.. More…

HCA response to media coverage comparing NHS Trust expenditure on patient food

Despite general views to the contrary, hospital caterers are extremely concerned about providing meals that are wholesome and nutritious and suitable to meet the dietary needs and choice of all of their patients. More…

Nutrition Live Service Awards 2013

The HCA as part of the group which included NHS England & the NACC were recognised at the above award ceremony on November 1st for the work they did earlier this year on the first combined Nutrition & Hydration Week. More…

HCA statement regarding the formation of the Hospital Food Standards Panel

The Department of Health (DH) announced on Friday 8 November the formation of a Hospital Food Standards Panel to be chaired by Dianne Jeffrey, National Chair of Age UK. More…