From Elsa Witherspoon
Stormont Parliament Buildings, Belfast, was the spectacular venue for the 60th anniversary Seminar, entitled ‘Are You Being Served?’, which was hosted by the Northern Ireland Branch in May.
Chair for the day was our National Chairman Neil Watson-Jones and the 70 Delegates in attendance and guest speakers were welcomed by Branch Chairman, Bernie Grimes. All enjoyed a varied, topical and very interesting range of presentations.
The Keynote Speaker was Northern Ireland’s Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey. He congratulated the countless catering staff employed within the health sector in Northern Ireland who deliver a good quality, nutritious food service which is highly valued by patients, staff and visitors. He noted that providing appropriate nutrition in the hospital setting is a particularly challenging task due to the diverse dietary needs of the population. In Northern Ireland Trusts spend around £39 million each year on hospital catering which equates to an average of just £5 per patient per day.
Other guest speakers and their subjects were:
- Dr Naresh Chada, Public Health, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) - ‘Healthy Food Options - Targeting Obesity’.
- Gerry McCurdy, Deputy Director, Food Standards Agency - ‘Regulate and Protect Consumer Expectations’.
- Martin Bradley, Chief Nursing Office, DHSSPS - ‘Influencing Patient Nutrition - the Nurses Role’.
- Caroline Lecko, Nutrition Lead, National Patient Safety Agency - ‘At the Heart of Life - Water for Health’.
- Sandra Gorman, Head of Hospitality and Tourism, Southern Regional College - ‘Train to Gain - Flexible Learning’.
- John Moore, Senior Rural Enterprise Advisor, Department of Agriculture and Regional Development - ‘Farm Gate to Patient’s Plate’.
- Mike Pearson, Head of Hotel Services, Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust - ‘Sustainability - At What Cost?’
- Lord Rana, MBE, JP, Founder and Chairman, Andras House - ‘Influencing Cultural Diversity Within Healthcare’.
All too quickly the day was over and, after a guided tour of the Parliament buildings, the Delegates walked through the beautiful grounds in brilliant sunshine, reflecting on a most memorable day in the history of the Northern Branch of the HCA.
Branch Chairman Bernie Grimes (centre) and Branch Secretary Elsa Witherspoon (right) with fellow Members and Guest Speakers at the Seminar
