Conference Issue - Hospital Caterers Association

caterer
APRIL 2004
HOSPITAL
The Official Journal of the Hospital Caterers Association
www.hospitalcaterers.org
Conference Issue
PLUS NATIONAL PROTECTED MEALTIMES DAY - A HUGE SUCCESS - NATIONWIDE

Fenside Fine Foods
HCA Conference 2004: Stand No. 5 Hall No. 3
• Fenside Fine Foods - The new Sales and Marketing arm of Fenside Bakeries Ltd - launch their new
exciting range for Hospital Caterers at this years HCA Conference & Exhibition.
• This range has been developed over the last 3 years with help and advise from over a 100
Hospital Caterers.
• The range will offer Hospitals a ONE STOP SHOP service for snack products across the UK at very
competitive prices.
Product Range
• All products are Ambient and Long Life.
• All Products are Animal Fat Free and suitable for Vegetarians.
• Comprehensive range of Quality Products for Restaurants and Patient Snacks including Low sugar
cakes for Diabetics.
• Cake Range for Patient Snacks includes individually wrapped Mini Flapjacks and Muffins, Sponge
Rolls, Fairy Cakes and Fruit Slice.
• We also provide a full Range Tray Bakes, Ethnic Sauces, Fruit Juices, Spring Water with Fruit Juice
and Biscuits.
Cake Slices Flapjacks Shortbreads
Visit us on Stand No. 5
To view our full Range
and collect your free Sample Pack
For Information On Our Range & Prices
Please contact Roy McKenna at our UK Sales Office
Tel: 01280 841870 or Mobile: 07830 197018

caterer
HOSPITAL
Chairman’s Column 4-5
Branch News 7-17
National Protected Mealtimes Day -
A Huge Success 19-29
Nottingham City Hospital Chefs
take the National Title at Le Salon
Culinaire 2004 30-31
The Winning Teams Take Time
Out to Talk to Hospital Caterer 35-37
Moving Stories 39-41
After 36 Years Service in NHS Catering -
Mike Hawkes Retires 42-43
The Hospital Food Project 47-48
5 A Day - How You Can Help 50-52
Conference 2004 55
Letter from the President 57
It’s all about you! 57
HCA Central Branch 59
Venue 59
Committee Profiles 61
Speaker Profiles 62-65
Visitor Information 65
Conference Programme 66-67
Exhibition Floorplan 68
Exhibition Overview 69
Exhibitor Profiles 71-81
Sponsors 82
EDITOR
Carolyn Robinson
23 Winchcombe Drive, Burton on Trent,
Staffordshire DE15 9EN
Tel: (01902) 643157
E-mail: carolyn.robinson@rwh-tr.nhs.uk
Website: www.hospitalcaterers.org
Hospital Caterer 24Hr Line
(0161) 233 0929
FEATURES EDITOR
Ruth Stedman
E-mail: ruth@lansdownepublishing.com
PUBLISHER
Lansdowne Publishing Partnership Limited,
11-12 School House, 2nd Avenue,
Trafford Park Village, Trafford Park,
Manchester M17 1DZ.
Tel: (0161) 872 6667
Fax: (0161) 872 6665
ISDN: (0161) 873 8476
E-mail: ruth@lansdownepublishing.com
The Official Journal of the Hospital Caterers Association
www.hospitalcaterers.org
Hospital Caterer is published six times a year and is sent to all Members of the Hospital Caterers Association. It is available on subscription, £30.00 pa, Enquiries to the publishers.
The HCA does not verify the claims made by advertisers as to the safety, efficiency or acceptability of their products. The views expressed in this Journal are not necessarily those of
the Association. News, views and comments are always welcome and should be sent to Lansdowne Publishing.
CONTRIBUTORS
Lyn Bailey, Arlene Barton, Sue Batty, Sonja Brine, Chris Church, Trevor Colcomb,
Billy Cunningham, Andrew Donegan, Michael Duckett, Wendy Firth,
Andrew Gamon, Elizabeth Gibbons, Janice Gillan, Jane Goldsworthy,
Hazel Green, Bernie Grimes, Alison Grieve, Mike Hawkes, Catherine Henderson,
Claire Hewett, Andrea Hildred, Angela Hircock, John Hughes, Carl Jarvis,
Chris Lay, Carol Lendrum, Lee Nash, Chris Neale, Vanessa Newton,
Tony McElhone, Simon Moody, Neville Morrison, Paul Nettleton, Mike Newport,
Mike Pearson, Marc Phillips, Brian Robb, Carolyn Robinson, Ian Robinson,
Mark Seales, Russell Sherry, Craig Smith, Ian Stafford, Pam Stansfield
Anne Soutar, Nicola Strawther, Melissa Thomson, Matthew Thornton,
Julie Tonge, Graham Walker, Anna Warman, Neil Watson Jones,
David Williamson, Mark Wood, Christine Wright.
HOSPITAL CATERER 3

CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN
Writing this column (my last as Chairman) is rather like writing
my first, somewhat daunting. It is hard to believe that it is nearly
two years now since I sat down to write my first piece - and now
twelve Journals later I am concocting my last. Where have those
two years gone?
The last couple of months have been rather like the
previous twenty-two - ie very busy.
Firstly there was a Council Meeting to attend with plenty
to discuss including the Business Plan. All agreed that
good progress had been made with most of the targets
and that information about it should be displayed on the
website. Scottish and Welsh Members were asked to
provide information for inclusion in the Plan. It was also
agreed that from now on it was to be the responsibility
of the GP Committee.
After discussion, plans were made for the National
Treasurer to set up a meeting with Lansdowne
Publishing to discuss the implementation of the
Administration Services Contract. We all hope that this
will prove beneficial to the Association as a whole as
well as taking some of the pressures off the National
Officers in dealing with paperwork etc. This should allow
them more time to promote and encourage the
development of the Association.
Neil enjoying the Oxford Conference
4
HOSPITAL CATERER
GP put forward their proposals for setting up a Training
and Development Budget and this was well supported by
all Council Members. Some more work needs to be
carried out on the methods and dates for submissions of
applications along with the criteria for awards - this will
be considered at the next meeting in June. This work is
excellent and it is just the sort of thing that we should be
doing - it is a way in which our Members can receive
some funding so that they can further develop their
knowledge and skills.
Another small sub-group chaired by David Williamson,
ably assisted by Emma Wilson and Mick Forse reported
back on the work they had done on the Rules and
Constitution. They have tidied up the wording and
ensured that there are now no incorrect/ambiguous
rules and they have eliminated any inconsistencies.
No small feat, but long needed - well done to them.
A full report on the meeting should be available from
your Council Representative and the minutes will be
displayed on the website in due course.
Neil newly appointed as HCA Chairman
Next came a Better Hospital Food Panel meeting where a
range of subjects were discussed including, “Engaging
with the RCN and Nurses” to develop their commitment to
food and nutrition. Aspects of the need to ensure that food
and nutrition are seen as an essential part of a patient’s
well being whilst in hospital will be discussed at their
Conference in May. It was also reported that Professor
Alan Jackson would be heading up a two-year research
programme looking at the effect that food has on health
improvement. If the results are positive that food can be
an important element of a patients recovery, which I am
convinced it will, then maybe our services will become
more high profile as a consequence and perhaps this may
result in better funding when and where required.
February 27th saw six teams competing at Hotelympia
in the Hospital Chef of the Year Competition.
The standard was extremely high and showed the rest of
the profession that chefs in the Health Service are
second to none. I took great pleasure in presenting the
prizes in conjunction with Loyd Grossman. (It does
however seem a shame that out of such a large
organisation we could attract only six teams again this
time around. I do appreciate that the number of staff we
have is decreasing whereas the workload is in most
cases increasing but let’s see if we can get it back up to
ten teams in 2006.)
I would especially like to thank Ron McKenzie and
team for bringing the event together and Hobart UK for
the sponsorship.

Neil at the launch of National Protected Mealtimes day
Our first nationally promoted day “Protected Mealtimes”
was launched at St Thomas’s and proved to be a bigger
success that anyone imagined. The launch was well
supported amongst others by the Trust Chair, Loyd
Grossman and representatives from the RCN, the BDA,
the Patients Association, members of the Trust and
Caroline Lecko from Kings College Hospital. By all
accounts there were many successes around the country
with plenty of press coverage. A full report on the day
appears on Pages 19-29 but I would like to express my
thanks to Ian Robinson and the GP committee for their
work in ensuring the day was such a success along with
Neil presenting Loyd Grossman with a HCA Honorary Patronage
the nine companies that financially supported it.
Does anyone have any ideas for next year’s theme?
Between now and Conference I will be meeting with
Phillipe Rossiter, Chief Executive of the HCIMA, to look at
ways in which we can promote Health Care Catering as
a profession. In many cases we run much larger and
more diverse operations than the profit making sector
and therefore deserve better recognition. Hopefully this
will be the first of many such meetings between the HCA
and the HCIMA.
I will also be attending the Cost Sector Awards and look
forward to seeing which of our managers receives the
Healthcare Catering Manager of the Year.
In my first column I said that I did not have a master plan
for my time in office, however, with the assistance of
many others I do feel as an organisation we have moved
forward a fair bit. We now have a Business Plan in place,
an active GP Committee that is developing a Training
Budget and we have just completed our first and very
successful national event. Administration services will
shortly be contracted out, media coverage is increasing
and our relationships with other Associations are
developing all the time. We now have joint meetings with
the BDA, LACA, NACC, The Armed Forces, Prison
Services, ADM, Hefma and the Linen & Laundry
Association. This can only benefit us as an Association.
The Journal has improved beyond all expectations under
the stewardship of Ruth Stedman and I would like to
thank her and everyone at Lansdowne for all the time
and effort that has been put in to ensure its continuing
success. Not forgetting of course all the Member
contributors who make the Journal what it is.
Please keep up the good work.
Hazel Green, our PR guru, has been extremely helpful
putting together press releases, ensuring the correct
message is put across to the media and generally
leading me in the right media direction. I thank Hazel for
her support.
I would like to say thank you to all the Branches that
have invited me to their events and greeted me with
such hospitality. I have many happy memories of the
times spent at both social and business meetings.
My wife, Vee, would also like to thank you for the
hospitality she has been shown.
Also many thanks to Sir Brian, Ron Anderson and
Anne Shore for their support and advice during my
Chairmanship. With Sir Brian retiring as our President
Neil with Alison McCree flying the HCA flag
this year I would like to thank him for the stewardship
he has given to the Association over the past fifteen
years and wish him and Lady Bailey all best wishes for
the future. His presence at our various events will
be missed.
A special thank you goes to the National Officers, Alison
McCree, Sandra Roberts, Mike Pearson and Carolyn
Robinson for their hard work, support and advice over
the past two years. It has been invaluable. I will miss my
regular e-mail and phone call discussions with you.
I look forward to seeing as many Members as possible
at our Conference in Brighton at the end of April, which I
am sure will be both worthwhile and enjoyable. It has
been a privilege and honour to serve the Hospital
Caterers Association as Chairman for the past two years.
Neil Watson Jones
National Chairman
HOSPITAL CATERER 5

East of Scotland Branch
From David Williamson
The first meeting of this year’s
Committee was early in January when
the Programme of Events for the year
was agreed. The first event, The Annual
Branch Dinner started the Branch off in
excellent form. The evening was held at
the Point Hotel in Edinburgh and was well
attended by Members and their Partners.
We held our first Branch business meeting
at St Columba’s Hospice, Edinburgh.
We were met by John Sharples, Catering
Services Manager for the Hospice.
He introduced us to Senior Clinical
Nurse, Evelyn Howie, who gave us a brief
history of the hospice and explained the
work carried out there.
Challenger Lodge was built in 1825 and
until 1929 it was used as a family house.
In 1929 it was acquired by The Edinburgh
Cripple and Invalid Childrens’ Aid
Society where boys and girls suffering
from infantile paralysis “polio” were
looked after. In 1975 the children
were transferred to Graymills School
Branch Officers
Chairman Sean Hunter (new contact number 0131 242 7054)
Treasurer Sheila Campbell
Secretary Vacancy
Council Rep David Williamson
April - Business Presentation, Hotel Doune - Contact Sean Hunter
19th May - Branch Study Day, University of Edinburgh Medical School -
Contact Sean Hunter
6th June - Branch Family Day, Perth Races - Contact Gary Adamson
29th September - Business Meeting at Lynebank Hospital, Contact Jean Hillis
26th November - AGM, Contact Brian Robb
Wales Branch
From Chris Church
The Welsh Branch is losing one of its most
popular Members. Stuart Rogers has left
Hospital Catering to become Facilities
Manager at a large Comprehensive School
in the Rhondda Valley.
Stuart was born on the 21st November
1962 in Sunderland and is famous for
once copying the curly-perm hairstyle
of his footballing hero Kevin Keegan.
This may come as bit of a surprise to
those of us who know him now for
today he is more likely to be asked not
to stand in bright sunlight in case his
head dazzles passing motorists!
His move into catering started by
working in hotel kitchens, as did his
contact with HCA Conferences when he
worked in the Hotel Metropole, in
Llandridnod Wells when the Wales
Branch hosted the 1980 event.
On leaving college in 1981 he joined the
Health Service in Penyfal Hospital,
Abergavenny as a Cook. He then moved
to Neville Hall Hospital where he learnt
much from Sian Davies, the then
Catering Manager, who also gave him his
first opportunity in both Supervisory and
Management positions by appointing him
Branch News
for the physically handicapped.
As Challenger Lodge was now on the
market, the Founding Committee felt
that the beautiful house with its situation
overlooking the Firth of Forth along
with its extensive grounds would make
a suitable setting for a Hospice.
On 5th December 1977 St Columba’s
Hospice admitted its first patient to the
15 bed Challenger Lodge. From the
beginning, it offered care for in-patients,
a Home Care Service and an Education
Programme. Some years later the
Nursing Wing was added followed by the
addition of extended verandas and patios
for the single rooms bringing the total
beds to 30. The Study Centre was also
added - this consists of the Birsay Hall,
seminar room and offices for lecturers.
In the early nineties the Day Hospice
was extended and a new Chapel and
Consulting rooms were built, followed
by a new nursery for the children of staff
and visitors. With the extension of the
Educational Department in 1996, the
Hospice fulfilled the dream of the
Founding Committee.
as Senior Food Services Supervisor and
then Food Services Manager.
He was appointed as Catering Services
Manager to Llandough Hospital, Cardiff
in 1996 where he pursued and obtained
a Masters in Business Administration.
He’s held the Branch Offices in the HCA
of Secretary, Treasurer and now “retires”
as Chair of the Wales Branch as he’s
gone back to School. He has been
appointed as Facilities Manager for
Treorchy Comprehensive School in the
Rhondda Valley, and commenced on
St David’s Day.
St Columba’s Hospice provides
palliative care through its In-Patient
Service, The Day Hospice Service and
its Community Palliative Care Service.
It also provides an Educational
Programme where a Specialist Registrar
gains first-hand experience of palliative
medicine. Qualified nurses attend
study days, attend day-release and
evening courses where they study for
a BSc in Nursing Studies-Palliative
Care in conjunction with Queen
Margaret College.
The philosophy of care at St Columba’s
Hospice is committed to providing a high
standard of care to each patient with
progressive advanced disease for whom
no cure is possible. The focus of care is
based on providing the best possible
quality of life for each individual patient,
as well as supporting families, carers
and friends.
After our talk, John gave us a tour of
the Hospice before we arrived at the
Catering Department then back to
Birsay Hall for our business meeting.
Stuart Rogers at the Welsh Conference in Cardiff
His friends and colleagues from all
over the country would like to send him
their best wishes for his new career.
Conference without him will never be
the same again.
HOSPITAL CATERER 7

KIDS
FAMILY
YOUTH
ADULTS
“LEADING BRANDS THAT BUILD YOUR BUSINESS”
NO-ONE KNOWS THE SOFT DRINKS MARKET BETTER

North West Branch
From Pam Stansfield and Vanessa Newton
Firstly the Branch has to open with some
very sad news to report the death of
Peter Whelan a much loved Member.
He had worked at the Royal Preston
Hospital and more recently moved to
Euxton Hall Hospital in Chorley. Outside
of work he was a well respected referee
and will always be fondly remembered
for his image. He was immaculately
turned out at all times with perfectly
ironed shirts and highly polished shoes.
He was well liked and respected by all
who knew him and will be sadly missed
by all former colleagues and associates.
Agenda For Change
A Branch Meeting was held recently at
Wrightington Hospital and because of the
interest in the topic was extremely well
attended. Had it not been the day of the
snow, it would have been a sell out.
The afternoon started with a presentation
from Clifton Meats, followed by the
Branch Meeting.
Mike Hall, Facilities Director for East
Lancashire Hospitals then chaired the
seminar on Agenda for Change.
Speakers were:-
Nick Hayes - HR Adviser for East
Lancashire Hospitals - with special
responsibility for implementing Agenda
for Change.
Anne Coleman and Sandra Boyle from
Aintree Hospitals who spoke of their
knowledge, experiences and problems
to date as one of the early implementer
sites for Agenda for Change.
It became very clear to all that Managers
are going to have a lot of work to do in
the next year, reviewing job descriptions,
and matching them to the job profiles as
they become available.
Finally, Nigel Rowley, who has been
seconded to the NHSU spoke regarding
the knowledge and skills framework,
and how the NHSU is developing.
It was an excellent and informative
afternoon, giving all Members clear insight
into the challenges facing us.
Pataks
Our most recent Branch Meeting was held
at Pataks factory in Leigh. The visit started
with a very interesting tour of the facility.
We were told that only members of the
Patak family mix the spices for the
sauces and pastes and that the recipes
are not known to the other staff.
The Leigh factory makes ambient
products such as pickles, curry sauces,
poppadums (with dips).
We were all particular interested in
the poppadum line. This is where dried
poppadums are put onto a conveyor
belt which feeds them into a tunnel
where they are fried and then blast
chilled and packed. The speed at which
the poppadums were fed onto the line
was incredible.
We then had a presentation from
Pataks regarding the business and each
of us received Meena Patak’s cookery
book and samples of the ambient ready
meals (which are available via PASA
through the RDC).
Sandra Hayes Memorial Award
This was all followed by the Branch
Meeting, during which a presentation
was made.
Each year the North West Branch give
the Sandra Hayes Memorial Award to
a Caterer who has shown commitment
in promoting excellence in Hospital
Catering. This year’s Award was
presented to Jim Butterworth, former
Head of Catering for Rochdale
Healthcare and now Site Manager for
Rochdale and Fairfield Hospitals.
This was in recognition of his 40 years
service and for the work undertaken in
the development and implementation of
a delivered meal service at Rochdale.
He received the engraved rose bowl and
a cheque for £100.00.
Branch News
Lancashire Awards
The Lancashire Excellence in
tourism Skills Awards 2003
ceremony (LETS AWARDS) was
held recently and Helena Davis a
chef at the Royal Preston Hospital
Catering department was in the
final for the award of “Most Up
and Coming Lancashire Chef”.
This award is for any talented,
enthusiastic and imaginative
Chef or Cook working within a
Lancashire catering outlet,
dedicated to providing customers with an outstanding dining experience.
The judges look for individuals able to show that in addition to being an
outstanding chef that they have achieved relevant qualifications and are
committed to extending their skill base for career progression. They also
look for a good team player who possesses excellent management skills
where appropriate.
Helena who was a runner-up in her category is pictured above, she was joined
on stage with other finalists from over 80 nominations throughout Lancashire.
Helena intends to continue her career within Catering at Royal Preston Hospital.
Jim Butterworth receives his award from Pam Stansfield
HOSPITAL CATERER 9

West Midlands Branch
From Carolyn Robinson and Lee Nash
Unfortunately our first meeting of the
year on 29th January was cancelled
due to snow which caused gridlock in
the Midlands for a couple of days.
We eventually managed to get together
at the Worcester Royal Hospital on
18th March, 2004. I have to say that
the meeting was exceptionally well
attended which resulted in lively debate
about a number of issues. Following
the business meeting Roger Flanagan
from Universal Food Equipment Ltd
gave an interesting presentation on the
Baron Professional range of equipment.
This was the first time that this particular
range of equipment had been presented
to the NHS. Members were then asked
to participate in a light hearted quiz.
Oxford
Branch
From Craig Smith
Who would ever trust
technology?
When the February edition of Hospital
Caterer hit the desks of the Oxford
Branch Members, there was a gasp of
anticipation from across the region.
Quickly they all turned to the Branch
News section, eager to see their smiling
faces beaming back at them. They had
posed for the digital camera ‘proudly’
provided by Hobart at the Annual General
Meeting, held at Kraft Foods, Banbury.
The Branch Secretary had promised to
submit the image to Ruth, who is always
eager to include pictures in the Journal.
Imagine their surprise and
disappointment when all the Branch
could manage was a list of Officers
appointed at the AGM - Scotland had
once again put us to shame.
At our January meeting, held at the John
Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, the Members
came prepared to vent their wrath on the
Secretary, why had he let them down?
Well done to Sara Wall the lucky prize
winner on the night. Thanks go to Pat
Bowman for hosting the meeting and to
Jon Richmond on behalf of Universal Food
Equipment Ltd for sponsoring the event.
A number of Trusts within the region
took part in the National Protected
Mealtimes Day on 4th March 2004
which meant that many of our Branch
Members were very busy on the day.
All reported great success locally, with
patients commenting on how good it was
to be able to have uninterrupted time to
concentrate on eating meals and nursing
staff pleased to have time to monitor the
food service properly.
The Branch hopes to have a strong
contingent at the Conference in April and
The bad weather saved his hide but the
truth was that he had simply hit the
wrong button on his computer and sent
the pictures to oblivion! How often do we
all do that?
February saw the Members more relaxed
as they made their way to the traditional
bi-annual Branch Meeting at Hotelympia.
This time, they thought, we will have a
fun picture to show everyone as we meet
up on the Hobart Stand. The crowd was
gathering, as over the tannoy it was
announced that the Branch Secretary
Peter Foser in action
Branch News
Our Programme of Events for the forthcoming year is as follows:
DATE VENUE HOST TOPIC/EVENT
6th April 2004 Hall Green Martin Cantor Business Meeting
Greyhound followed by
Stadium ‘A night at the Dogs’
29th and 30th Hilton Brighton Central Branch ‘It’s All About You’
April 2004 Metropole HCA National
Conference 2004
19th May 2004 Alexander Hospital,
Redditch
Neil Watson Jones Agenda for Change
24th June 2004 Hobarts, David Grundy Business Meeting
Birmingham followed by Barbecue
9th September Solihull Hospital, Martin Cantor Joint Meeting with
2004 Solihull BDA to be confirmed
9th October 2004 Hanover International West Midlands Annual Dinner Dance
Hotel, Hinckley,
Leicestershire
Branch
24th November Good Hope Hospital, Campbell Strefford/ Annual General
2004 Sutton Coldfield David Hammond Meeting
look forward to seeing you all in
Brighton. The West Midlands Conference
Committee in particular will have their
was not to be found in the building -
yet another opportunity was to go
begging. Peter Foster, our worthy Vice
Chairman, and star of the August 2003
edition of Hospital Caterer (see below),
was very keen to demonstrate that he
does not always wear white hats or pink
shirts! Rumour has it that that Mr Foster
is in quiet talks with Armani for his attire
for this year’s Conference.
Meanwhile, the Curse of the Chairman
has hit the Branch again. Last year our
old pal Sandra Robinson was laid low
Branch Programme as follows
eyes peeled looking for tips and learning
from the 2004 Conference Committee in
readiness for the 2006 Conference.
and now our new Chair, Nicky Jones is
currently recovering from a short spell
as a patient; looking at the business
from the other side. Everyone in the
Branch sends her our best wishes for
a speedy recovery.
Lastly, while the Secretary has been in
the Dog House, the Branch owes a big
thank you once again to our faithful
Council Representative, Ian Robinson,
who has kept things ticking over during
the raw winter months. Perhaps we can
all buy him a drink at Conference?
13th May 2004
Broadmoor Hospital - Tour of Facilities (Sponsored by Network Recruitment)
23rd June 2004
St Edmunds Hall - Tour of College Facilities (Sponsored by Zenith Beverages)
(Date to be confirmed)
September
MOT Service Station, Cherwell Valley M40 - A view of catering from a private
retailer’s point of view (Sponsored by Compass) (Date to be confirmed)
October
BMW, Cowley - Vending facilities in an industrial environment
(Sponsored by Electrolux) (Date to be confirmed)
November
Luton and Dunstable Hospital - AGM (Date to be confirmed)
HOSPITAL CATERER 11

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and represents decades of expertise in the world of friendly bacteria.
To find out more about the growing body of research on the multiple applications of
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0208 740 2637 or jallaway@yakult.co.uk
www.yakult.co.uk

East Anglia Branch
From Anne Soutar and Trevor Colcomb
The East Anglia Branch AGM was held
on 3rd December at Great Yarmouth and
was well attended. Reports by the
Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer all
highlighted the following positive points:-
➨ Membership has grown
➨ BHF initiative had raised the
profile of Hospital Catering -
with shared experiences being
a great advantage
➨ The combination of business
and social activities encouraged
a good attendance at Branch
Meetings which were held every
two months
After the business of the AGM was
concluded, there was a short interval
before the final Branch Meeting of 2003.
During the course of this Meeting the
schedule of Meetings for 2004 was
drafted and lively discussions on
Hot Cookery Competition, National
Conference and Agenda for Change took
place. Upon conclusion of Business the
Members enjoyed a Christmas meal and
then it was off to “the Dogs” - greyhound
racing at Great Yarmouth! Despite it
being a cold, damp evening (in direct
contrast to our July meeting at
Newmarket Races) a hardy group of
Members arrived wrapped up against the
elements keen and eager to learn all
about this traditional pastime. Imagine
our joy at finding out that viewing could
be done inside with a panoramic view of
the entire track. Couple this with a very
friendly atmosphere, the locals only too
happy to pass on their expertise and
some lucky (skilful?) selection of winners
- result, an enjoyable time had by all.
Our thanks go to Roger Gowen, James
Paget Hospital, and Tony Huddleston,
GWP, for the organisation of this event,
which set us up for the Christmas rush
that was to follow.
On 21st January 2004 the East Anglia
Branch were to be found at The Bell Inn,
Stilton. This was a very attractive and
comfortable environment to hold the first
meeting of the New Year, just off the A1
and the home of Stilton cheese.
After the business was completed, the
group were invited to visit the newly
refurbished kitchen suite at the Hotel
followed by refreshments. Our thanks go
to Mark Brecknock and Electrolux for
organising this visit.
The Branch’s most recent meeting was
held on Wednesday 10th March and
involved a visit to RAF Marham in rural
Norfolk. The normal business was
combined with a tour of the base, a close
look at a Tornado aircraft and a walk
around the ‘Messes’.
After the standard security checks at the
guardroom, Members made their way to
The Catering Squadron Club Lounge to
be welcomed by Squadron Leader John
Healey MHCIMA, Officer Commanding
The Catering Squadron.
What followed was an extremely
interesting and enjoyable look at what
life is like, ‘behind the wire’, from the
austere and formal surroundings of the
Officers Mess to the relaxed, cafeteria
style of the Junior Ranks Restaurant.
The tour started in the Base Operations
Briefing Room where we told about the
history and current set-up of the base,
we also learned of the recent operational
deployments of the four Tornado
Squadrons and Canberra Squadron.
The briefing was given by Wing
Commander Rob Caddick, Officer
Commanding Administrative Wing,
who is responsible for support services
including catering, medical, welfare,
estates, etc. A small part of the brief
was an outline of recent cost pressures
encountered. (So we are not the only
ones with these difficulties!)
Squadron Leader Healey then gave a
briefing on the role and responsibilities
of the Catering Squadron, which also
includes accommodation services and a
dedicated accounts team. He has
Branch News
approximately 130 staff servicing five
outlets and numerous special functions
including regular Black Tie Dinners in
the Officers’ and Sergeants’ Messes.
There is also a continuous requirement
to provide chefs, etc for operational
‘tours’ and base guard duties.
Next we were taken by bus for a tour of
the base. The first stop was to see the
Tornado in its hanger area. It is a very
impressive aircraft with lots of ‘extras’ that
are added to improve its effectiveness and
capabilities. We were allowed to sit in the
pilot’s and the navigator’s seats and see
the array of instruments that are used.
The seats were incredibly uncomfortable
and the thought of having to sit in such a
confined space for up to eight hours on a
‘sortie’ was not pleasant (and the
‘comfort’ breaks are something else!).
We then enjoyed pre-Dinner drinks
whilst touring the Officers Mess. The
surroundings and service would not have
been out of place in a Five Star Hotel.
The whole area was steeped in tradition.
By contrast, the Sergeants’ Mess had a
less formal, more relaxed atmosphere
similar to a Three Star establishment
and when we arrived Dinner was being
taken in the Dining Room.
Finally, we visited the Junior Ranks
Restaurant where Dinner had just been
eaten. The extensive menu was still on
display and demonstrated that that the
quality of food available to all ranks
was pretty similar. And the cost of this?
The Catering Squadron are given an
allowance of £1.80 per person per day
based on the amount of Service
personnel entitled to eat in the Messes.
(And yes, Service personnel do pay for
their food and accommodation).
At the end of a wonderful day we retired
back to the Catering Squadron Club
Lounge where we enjoyed a hot buffet
(provided by members of the catering
team) together with a small amount of
liquid refreshment!
Very many thanks go to Wing
Commander Rob Caddick and Squadron
Leader John Healey for the hospitality.
They gave up a great deal of their time
to afford us such an enjoyable and
informative visit.
Thanks also go to our Ipswich Members,
Tony Huddleston and GWP for organising
and sponsoring a very memorable
occasion. The effort and commitment is
very much appreciated. (The Cambridge
Members and Burlodge will have to go
some to better this one!)
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Greater London Branch
From Graham Walker
Certificates Galore
Greater London Branch recently held
an Awards Ceremony to present its new
Membership Certificates, it was very
well attended with over 17 Certificates
presented on the day and a further 35
dispatched by post. Since its formation
on 19th February 2003 Greater London
Branch has grown from the original 10 to
the present number of 76, we are very
pleased with our progress and would like
to thank our fellow Branches for their
support. With our “Adopt-a-Trust” scheme
we plan to increase this number further.
Tour to the Commons
The Branch recently attended a tour of
the House of Commons Refreshment
Department hosted by Sue Harrison, the
Director of Catering Services. The trip
included a tour of the refurbished
catering facility in the main building and
also the new facilities in Portcullis House.
The new facility at Portcullis House,
which opened in 2000, has two
restaurants: a brasserie-style restaurant
called “The Adjournment” and a selfservice
restaurant called “The Debate”.
The restaurants are grouped on two
sides of a huge covered atrium, with
a retail coffee-bar outlet called
“The Despatch Box” on the third side.
Interestingly, they all contain the three
letters “eat”. This was a deliberate
exercise on the part of Catering
Services to allow the development of an
in-house brand.
The trip provided a good insight into
the catering arrangements for politicians
and the thousands of staff working at
Westminster, and gave us an
appreciation of the great historic value
and interest of the building itself.
Altogether, the Refreshment Department
operates thirty food, bar and retail outlets
within the House of Commons and
employs over 300 staff. In terms of
volume the Refreshment Department
caters for over 8000 covers a day, with
2000 of these alone being served in
The Debate - the department’s most
popular restaurant. As well as running
the services in Portcullis House, the
Refreshment Department operates a
considerable hospitality business
producing an annual income of around
£2.5 million. Although the main catering
facilities are subsidised, the hospitality
business is operated at commercial
rates, and the profits from this are used
to help subsidise the other catering
services. They are also responsible for
the development and sale of House of
Commons souvenirs, which raised
over £750,000 for the House of
Commons last year.
As you would imagine the facilities are
state of the art with elbow-operated
Branch News
door openers etc, and acres of stainless
steel - I did notice as we were gong
round that there were one or two of our
Members green with envy. But then,
as Sue told us, it is not often that you
get the opportunity to do a total
refurbishment in a Grade 1 Listed,
World Heritage Site, and the facilities
will have to remain up to scratch for
many years to come.
The meeting culminated in a Question
Time type session with Sue and her staff
concerning all aspects to do with the
service. Sue was a magnificent host and
we are now hoping to plan a sit down
meal event in the near future.
Wessex Branch News
From Chris Lay
Well, how was it for you? Several
Wessex Branch Members signed up
and participated in the National
Protected Mealtimes Day and from
discussions which took place at the
Branch Meeting after the event it was
clear that there was great enthusiasm
from everyone. Those who took part
had positive feedback from their
respective units and the overall
impression was that it had been a
complete success with food moving
well and truly up the agenda. Those
who were unable to participate said
that the momentum was still there
and that they would be trying to do
something in the very near future.
Hotelympia - many Members
braved the train, tube and DLR to
experience the event at its new
venue. As Caterers we can sometimes
hold on to the past and reminisce
about the old days and in particular
think about just how lovely Olympia
and Earls Court are! Excel received
mixed thoughts from Members but
it was good to see so much laid out
with so much space to spare!
We had a good time meeting up
with our Patrons and generally
updating ourselves on what the
industry has to offer.
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West of Scotland Branch
From Janice Gillan
The West of Scotland Branch held a Study Day/Burns Supper/Ceilidh on Friday
12 March 2004 at The Glynhill Hotel & Leisure Club.
The Study Day was entitled ‘A Matter of Obligation’ with the following Programme:-
1. ‘Food, Fluid & Nutritional Care Standards’ - The Next Step
Ms Frances Smith, Director of Nursing & Quality - Standards and Reviews,
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, spoke about the current position of the
standards as well as where they were hoping to be with regards the initiative
later on in the year.
2. Cleaning Champion - The Presentation
Ms Vivienne Simpson, Practice Education Co-ordinator, NHS Education for
Scotland spoke on the Minister for Health’s initiative from the Healthcare
Acquired Infection Taskforce (HAI).
Cleaning Champion - The Practical Route
Mrs Janice Geddes, Domestic Services Manager, Ayrshire & Arran Acute
Hospitals, spoke on how she had chosen to utilise the book version rather
than the preferred option of the on-line version.
3. Demonstration from Jamieson & Moody
4. Agenda for Change - The Management View
Margaret Callander, Pay Modernisation Group spoke on the proposed
Agenda for Change.
5. Agenda for Change - The UNISON Perspective
Mr Willie Duffy, UNISON, spoke re the concerns from the early trial sites.
NEW MEMBERS
The HCA would like to welcome the following new Members
FULL MEMBERS
Yorkshire Branch
Paul Cryer - Head of Hospitality Services,
NHS Estates
Tel: 0113 254 7070
E-mail: paul.cryer@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Oxford Branch
Alan Boughtflower - Facilities Manager,
John Radcliffe Hospital
Tel: 01865 741166
E-mail: alan.boughtflower@orh.nhs.uk
Jeremy Croxford - Head of Catering, Lister Hospital
Tel: 01438 314333 ext 4973
E-mail: jeremy.croxford@nhs.net
Merseyside and North Wales Branch
Derek Peters - Catering Services Manager,
Nobles Hospital, Isle of Man
Tel: 01624 650000
The Burns Supper was a huge success and surpassed all our expectations and Rabbie
Burns would have been proud of the following speakers:
Chairman’s Welcome Mr Kenneth Birrell, Support Services Manager,
Stirling Royal Infirmary
Master of Ceremonies Mr Billy Cunningham, Catering Manager,
Hull Royal Infirmary
Selkirk Grace Mr Gary Nicholl, Hobart Manufacturing Ltd
Address to the Haggis Mr Mike Hall, Support Services Manager,
Blackburn Hospitals - (this will now be known
as THE BOLTON ADDRESS)
Haggis piped in by local lad Mr Bryce McCulloch
The Immortal Memory Mr Ronnie O’Byrne
Toast to the Lassies Mr Michael Brady, a local Copper!
Reply to the Toast Mrs Wai-yin Hatton, Chief Executive,
to the Lassies Ayrshire & Arran Health Board
Vote of Thanks Mr Kenneth Birrell
Tam O’Shanter Mr Ronnie O’Byrne
A raffle was held with some marvellous prizes of TV/Video Combi and DVD and many more.
The West of Scotland are most grateful to the following companies for their generous
donations/sponsorship which will ensure the continuing development of educational
Days/Seminars held at Branch level.
BGL Reiber
Brake Bros
Britvic
Burlodge
Clenaware
Delice De France
South West Thames Branch
Deborah Green - General Manager
Support Services, North Hampshire Hospitals
NHS Trust
Tel: 01256 473202
E-mail: deborah.green@nhht.nhs.uk
Paul Dewar - Catering Manager, Tolworth Hospital
Tel: 020 8390 0102
E-mail: paul-dewar@swlstg-tr.nhs.uk
Greater London Branch
Pam Wastell - Facilities Business Manager,
Bethlem Royal Hospital
Tel: 020 8776 4671
E-mail: pam.wastell@slam.nhs.uk
Karen Carpenter - Hotel Services Manager -
Reay House, Lambeth Hospital
Tel: 020 7411 6483
E-mail: karen.carpenter@slam.nhs.uk
Branch News
Espresso Adesso
Falcon
Fife Creamery
Foster Refrigeration
G Broadfoot & Son
Hobart Manufacturing
The evening was rounded of by dancing to The Method Band.
Jamieson & Moody
Johnson Diversey
Kraft Foods
Pritchitt Foods
Stirling Catering
Central Branch
John Rudd - Hotel Services Manager -
St Pancras Hospital
Tel: 020 7530 3500
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Wales Branch
Mark Herbert - Key Accounts Manager, Kraft Foods
PATRON MEMBERS
Greater London Branch
Ian Northwood - Enodis
Peter Thomas - Prescott Thomas
Lesley Keever - Fours Square
John Morris - Turnstone Colbrook Ltd
West Midlands Branch
Jayne Benfield - Allied Bakers
Oxford Branch
Simon Ellis - First in Service Ltd
HOSPITAL CATERER 17

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Attleborough Fields Industrial Estate
Nuneaton
Warwickshire CV11 6RZ
Tel: 02476 351300 / Fax: 02476 349250
enquiries@nutripack.co.uk
www.nutripack.co.uk

“A Huge Success”
Loyd Grossman Launches It,
Health Minister Commends It,
Media Reports It and UK Health Professionals Do It!
4th March 2004 - HCA National Protected Mealtimes Day
After what has been an unbelievably hectic three
months (especially for Ian Robinson the Chair of the GP
Committee) in which time the first HCA National Event
was planned, promoted and launched we are very glad
to be able to report it was a huge success.
News has been coming into the Hospital Caterer from all
over the UK from participating hospitals who have been
protecting mealtimes and putting Food First.
More on this later.
The idea behind the day was to promote the Hospital
Caterers Association beyond its Membership as well as
to highlight the work of the Hospital Caterer across the
Health Service. The GP Committee chose Protected
Mealtimes as its theme firstly because it is such a hot
topic, secondly because it is very patient focused and
thirdly because it is something that involves the
Hospital Caterer with many other disciplines within
the Health Service.
Loyd Grossman OBE, Honorary Patron of the HCA,
officially launched the initiative at St Thomas’ Hospital,
London. Representatives from the NHS, medical,
nursing, dietetics and patient organisations attended the
event including the British Dietetic Association, the Royal
College of Nursing and The Patients Association.
Over three hundred hospitals across England, Wales,
Scotland and Northern Ireland registered for the HCA’s
National Protected Mealtimes Day and all those involved
were committed to make patient Mealtimes free from
unnecessary interruptions and are keen to see this as
NHS Trust policy.
Loyd Grossman at the launch
The Health Minister Lord Warner highly commended
the HCA initiative and sent a message of support for
the launch.
He said, “The environment in which food is served plays
a big part in how much is eaten and people’s perceptions
about quality… I make the point that it only seeks to
apply to hospital wards what we try to do in our own
homes which is to make Mealtimes a time of pleasure.”
Despite the efforts of Florence Nightingale who, in 1859,
wrote in her Notes on Nursing, “Nothing shall be done in
the ward while the patients are having their meal”, hospital
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patients have often found their Mealtime experience in the
following 145 years anything but interruption-free. With
ward activity continuing throughout Mealtimes, patients
rarely enjoy their food in a quiet and relaxed environment.
Patients, particularly in the majority of acute hospitals,
still find their Mealtimes interrupted by unnecessary ward
activity such as cleaning, maintenance, bed changing
and ward rounds. There is increasing concern that
interrupted Mealtimes undermine appetite and if patients
cannot complete or miss their meal for whatever reason,
this will have a detrimental effect on nutritional intake
and wellbeing. The principles of protected Mealtimes are
to ensure patients are given assistance and support to
eat in an environment as conducive to eating as possible.
Loyd Grossman said, “It’s common sense that if patients
are able to eat in comfort, they will eat more. I am also
keen for patients to be given the opportunity to eat their
meals at a table in a social setting with relatives and
friends where this is possible. I am told that social
interaction at Mealtimes has a positive impact on
appetite and leads to more food being eaten. We are
asking hospitals to look closely at clinical and other ward
routines to find out exactly what they do, and when they
do it. They need to ask the simple question - does it
have to happen at Mealtimes?”.
Susan Jones, Chairman of the British Dietetic Association
said, “The Better Hospital Food Programme has done
much to improve the quality and availability of food in
hospitals in England. However, the nutritional benefits of
this will not be realised unless patients are provided with
the right environment and time in which to eat the food
Do Not Disturb posters on display

left to right: Graham Walker, Loyd Grossman, Neil Watson-Jones and Ian Robinson at the launch (statue of Florence Nightingale watching on)
served to them. Food, however good and however
plentiful, has no nutritional value unless it is eaten”.
Although buoyed by the success of the event, the HCA
see this very much as a starting point. As stated
improved nutrition does speed recovery and recuperation
but it is agreed that we need to understand a lot more
about the science of this before we can make too many
more specific claims. Therefore NHS Estates have
undertaken to fund further research at leading nutrition
centres to expand and improve the evidence base so that
hospitals, when making decisions about their food and
nutrition services, will have the evidence they need at
their disposal. This is not quick work but they hope to see
something emerging from it within 12-18 months.
The Royal College of Nursing fully support the principles of
Protected Mealtimes and are keen to get involved. They
are pleased that the HCA through its work on National
Protected Mealtimes Day is empowering the Nurse - ie
putting them at the centre of the Mealtimes experience.
They are featuring it at their RCN Congress later this year
and are working again with NHS Estates on a series of
Roadshows over the next few months to help promote
Protected Mealtimes. Please contact Ian Robinson
(ian.robinson60@btopenworld.com) if you would like a
presentation at your Trust or at a Branch Meeting.
The Essence of Care food and nutrition benchmark states
that, “the environment should be conducive to enabling
individual patients to eat - and that they should receive the
care and assistance they require with eating and drinking”.
A recent resolution from the Council of Europe advised
that, “interruption of patients’ meal times by ward
20
HOSPITAL CATERER
rounds, teaching and diagnostic procedures should be
minimised” and, “the hospital-eating environment should
be improved with a focus on surroundings and the
presence of personnel”.
So - there is a mass of informed, professional opinion
saying that Protected Mealtimes are good for patients.
We must - therefore - support this as much as possible so
that more and more hospitals adopt the programme - and
so that more and more patients benefit from it each and
every day. We must ask hospitals to look closely at clinical
Susan Jones, Chairman of the British Dietetic Association
and other ward routines to find out exactly what they do,
and when they do it. They must ask themselves the
simple question - does it have to happen at Mealtimes?
As Loyd said in his speech on March 4th it was fitting
that the HCA launched the event at St Thomas’s hospital
- where Florence Nightingale worked over a century ago.
We all think that she will be applauding and supporting
the Hospital Caterers Association Protected Mealtimes
Day - it’s a very simple message - “Let’s put food first
at Mealtimes.”

Hospital Caterers, Dietitians, Nurses, Matrons and Housekeepers
all over the UK have been busy Protecting Mealtimes. The Hospital
Caterer has been in touch with literally hundreds of people and
has been overwhelmed by the truly positive response. It really has
been quite a task to convey in writing the obvious hard work put
in by so many dedicated NHS professionals, but here goes…
News about the HCA National Protected Mealtimes Day
was released directly after Council had ratified all the
details. The Journal carried a piece about it (together
with the Registration Form) in December and again in
February and information appeared on the website.
So all systems go.
Hospitals registered and the hard work began.
Kelling Hospital in Holt
Preparations
Tony McElhone at Medway Hospital set up a display
in the staff restaurant to explain the idea behind,
“Protecting Mealtimes”. He told Hospital Caterer all
about it, “We supplied booklets and A4 size leaflets and
initially the response was as expected, staff were pretty
indifferent and the public were concerned that their
visiting would be curtailed. However we were able to
explain to them what it was all about and most people
were fully in favour of the initiative once they understood
where we were coming from.”
Mike Newport
Royal United Hospital Bath (RUH)
HCA Member: West of England Branch
“The day went well at the RUH. Three wards
were involved and Mealtimes when undisturbed
for the patients. Consultants, doctors and
therapists were very co-operative”.
Claire Hewett, Ward Housekeeper Facilitator
(Member HCA East Anglia Branch) registered three
Community Hospitals in Norfolk - St Michael’s Hospital in
Aylsham, Priscilla Bacon Lodge in Norwich and Kelling
Hospital in Holt. Together with Carol Lendrum Deputy
Facilities Manager (HCA Member East Anglia Branch)
and Victoria Marks, Community Dietitian, they raised
support from East Support Services Management Board
and then invited the Sisters and Housekeepers from the
chosen sites to meet to plan the day. Claire told Hospital
Caterer, “They returned to their Hospitals full of
enthusiasm to spread the word and the Housekeepers at
each site produced informative display boards to
advertise the initiative to visitors, clinical and
non-clinical staff. New crockery, cutlery, tablecloths
and floral arrangements were purchased to enhance
the dining areas.”
Display Boards at Bridgwater Hospital, Somerset
Bernie Grimes, Hotel Services Contracts Manager of
Sperrin Lakeland Trust (Chairman HCA Northern
Ireland Branch) told us how the Trust launched a
Protected Mealtimes Pilot to coincide with the HCA Day.
“Having secured support from the Trust’s senior
management team, staff at ward level were briefed in
preparation for the formation of a multi-disciplinary team to
consider the implications for all service providers. A leaflet
has been produced to inform and encourage co-operation
by visitors to participating wards at both the Trust’s acute
hospitals during the six-week pilot. We also recently carried
out an observational audit of existing mealtime’s practice in
advance of the new initiative. All work is being
co-ordinated by Anne Gormley, Chief Dietitian, with the
assistance of postgraduate student Gary Quinn.”
HCA National Protected Mealtimes Day
left to right: Mrs Anne Fallon, patient in the ward,
Mrs Bernadine Eccles, Senior Staff Nurse, Mr Gary Quinn,
Post Graduate Student, Mrs Anne Gormley, Trust Chief Dietitian,
Dr Hodkinson, Geriatric Consultant, Mrs Bernie Grimes, Branch
Chairman, Hospital Caterers Association. Picture taken at Sperrin
Lakeland Trust
Pam Stansfield (Secretary HCA North West Branch)
also used the HCA National Protected Mealtimes Day as
the day to launch a pilot programme on Ward 5 at Royal
Oldham Hospital. The trial is also set to begin shortly at
other Hospitals within Pennine Acute NHS Trust.
Mike Duckett, Catering Manager at the Royal
Brompton Hospital (Member HCA Greater London
Branch) advertised the HCA Day on the intranet and was
very pleased with the enthusiasm and support given by all
the staff. He registered Elizabeth Ward and planned
everything down to the last detail. A leaflet was designed
for patient’s trays to advertise the event and Danish
Pastries were ordered as a midmorning snack. Fruit Punch
with ice and fruit was served in glass jugs at lunchtime to
patients, visitors and ward staff and during the afternoon a
large basket of exotic fruits was delivered to the ward’s day
room so that patients could help themselves.
Sonja Brine, (Member HCA North West Branch) and
her team also prepared for the day. Once registered she
and Noleen Fulop, Assistant Hotel Services Manager,
arranged a meeting with their housekeepers to prepare
a course of action. Everyone was very enthusiastic - they
wanted to “Protect” as many wards as possible. All those
involved started to spread the word as well as putting up
posters and leaflets around the Hospital.
The Day Itself
It seems from reading so many accounts of the 4th March
2004 that there must have been hundreds of havens of
calm and tranquillity all around the UK at lunchtime!
Lee Nash, Food and Beverage Manager at the
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS
Trust (Secretary, HCA West Midlands Branch) sums
up the day for the overwhelming majority of participating
hospitals, “HCA Protected Mealtimes was a great
success! The initiative was supported by Board
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Directors, Consultants (wonderful achievement) and all
other disciplines. Complete silence on the wards and
ward staff without question felt this should be happening
all the time.”
Julie Tonge (Member HCA North West Branch) told
Hospital Caterer about how the day went at Lancashire
Teaching Hospital NHS Trust where they Protected five
wards across their three sites. “A conscious effort was
made by all ward staff to prepare the environment for the
meal service and restrict ward activity, some wards
displayed no entry signs and others politely asked clinical
visitors to postpone their activity until after mealtime.”
Results of their observational audit showed that:
➨ Ward staff were organised and available to
assist with the meal service.
➨ Other activities were stopped.
➨ Bed tables were clear and within reach
of the patients.
➨ No commodes in use at time of meal service.
➨ The ward was quiet, relaxed and there were
no off-putting smells.
➨ Patients were asked to use a dining area if
one available.
➨ Assistance was given with feeding.
➨ Record was taken of food consumption.
Julie explained that on a normal day although some
wards do already restrict activity at mealtimes others are
very busy, can be noisy and patients do get interrupted.
The day clearly showed the effectiveness of Protecting
Mealtimes. As a consequence of this work they plan to
develop a working party with representation from the
key stakeholders to develop a Protected Mealtime Policy
so as to implement it on as many wards as possible.
Wendy Firth, Catering Services Manager at
Airedale Hospital (Member HCA Yorkshire Branch)
Protected two wards, Ward 1 and Ward 6. Clinical
procedures and routine tasks were re-scheduled so that
patients were not unnecessarily disturbed when eating.
Wendy explained how they had recently done a lot of
work with nursing colleagues looking at what takes
place on the wards over the lunchtime period and were
therefore very keen to participate in the national
campaign. Sister Marie Hudson who had been involved
in some of the work was very pleased with how the day
went and with the co-operation from other colleagues
who rearranged some of their visits to the ward so that
patients were left to eat in peace.
Simon Moody, Deputy Hotel Services Manager Ulster
Hospital, was also pleased after a successful day.
A number of wards at the Hospital already work on the
basis of Protected Mealtimes but they included three
further wards on the 4th March - Craig, Mitchell and Rea.
Posters were issued, stickers passed out and the day went
well with markedly less interruptions (except for
husbands/partners being allowed into the maternity units
at the expected time!). From a catering department point of
view, Simon looks forward to further initiatives to
encourage more wards to take up Protected Mealtimes. He
told Hospital Caterer, “We try to take the holistic view that if
patients eat well (which they do in a quieter less disturbed
environment) then they are more likely to recover quicker
and return home sooner rather than later.” Simon wanted
to take this opportunity to thank the HCA for greatly
assisting in the promotion and increasing awareness of
Protected Mealtimes to staff and visitors alike.
Andrew Donegan
Paul Nettleton
Ipswich Hospital
At the Ipswich Hospital we had four wards that
participated and everyone was very pleasantly
surprised at the benefits that were seen.
Visitors co-operated willingly, doctors took the
opportunity to get their own lunch when they
were politely turned away from the wards,
serving meals took significantly less time and all
the food was hot. The most interesting comment
was that at the end of mealtime the ward was
serene and the patients were relaxed and ready
for their early afternoon rest. “We are going to
hold a review meeting and see what can be done
to extend Protected Mealtimes to all wards
permanently. Whilst there may be benefits to
patients there are also great benefits to the
Caterer. Operating Protected Mealtimes may be
one of the most economic improvements that
can be made to patient catering.”
Melissa Thomson is Hotel Services Manager for
South West Dorset Primary Care Trust (HCA
Member Wessex Branch) and she registered four
wards for the day. She felt that the nurses and patients
Head of Catering Services, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust
HCA Member: Yorkshire Branch
“Eileen Haigh, Matron for Medicine, was instrumental in getting the day off the ground, she also arranged for
Audit to analyse its effectiveness. She told me that from talking to people on and after the day that feedback
from patients and staff was overwhelmingly positive. She did hear one or two relatives voicing concern over the
initiative when asked to leave. She is however very keen to progress with plans for future implementation.”
Day one of Protected Mealtimes at Royal Oldham Hospital
HCA National Protected Mealtimes Day
HOSPITAL CATERER 23

No entry at Airedale Hospital
were equally enthusiastic about the idea and welcomed
the initiative. They took lots of data on the day but wanted
to share some comments with the Hospital Caterer.
A nurse said, “Oh, Mrs Smith is eating her food today
and that’s because she’s not been disturbed”
A patient said, “I really enjoyed my meal today because I
haven’t been disturbed by the doctors on their ward
rounds, it always seems to be lunch time when they get
to me and then my food goes cold - but today they did
the ward round after lunch and my meal was lovely.”
It is comments like this that made the whole thing
worthwhile and Melissa is keen to put a Report into the
Board proposing to put the initiative in full time.
Similar feedback came from the patients at Bridgwater
Hospital, part of Somerset Coast Primary Care Trust
where patients were able to enjoy their lunch in peace,
with no disturbances from ward rounds, drugs trolleys or
other people’s visitors. Cherie Turbeville, Matron at
All hands on deck at Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham
24
HOSPITAL CATERER
Lyn Bailey
Patient and Public
Involvement Manager,
Macclesfield District Hospital
“We decided to use the day as an awareness
raising session and prior to the event we
watched the video at our Patient’s Meals
Steering Group meeting. We then audited seven
wards by using a set form and a person in situ
before and during the lunchtime period.”
Bridgwater Hospital worked closely with all staff at the
hospital and made sure that there were no ward rounds
or x-rays booked for lunch time. She also asked visitors
to avoid coming to see their friends or relatives between
12 noon and 1.30pm wherever possible. Visitors who
were willing to help their friends/relatives with their
meals however were made welcome. Anna Warman,
Catering/Housekeeping Advisor, told Hospital Caterer
that as a consequence of the success of the day that
they are now reviewing the protected mealtime trial to
assess the impact on other staff and services. If possible
they will then be looking at ways of introducing the
David Williamson
Support Services Manager, Stratheden Hospital
measure on a more permanent basic across all local
health services provided by the Trust.
Arlene Barton, Housekeeping Project
Manager/Senior Dietitian at Queens Medical
Centre, Nottingham also reported a similar story.
They decided to trial the Protected Mealtime Service on
one of the elderly wards at lunchtime. On the day all
non-nursing staff (including doctors, physiotherapists,
occupational therapists, speech and language
therapists, dietitians, domestic staff, porters,
phlebotomists and pharmacists) were reminded about
the plans for the day and asked to stay off the ward
between 11.45am and 12.30pm. Off-ward services
such as diagnostic imaging, endoscopy etc agreed not
to take any patients for non-emergency tests between
11am and 1pm. Arlene told Hospital Caterer that in
normal circumstances the dining area on the ward is not
used very much but on the day all those patients who
were able to be taken to it were moved and sat at the
table for their meal. All nursing and care staff were
ready to assist with serving the meals and helping
patients eat them. Music was also played in the dining
room and the overall feel of the ward was very relaxed
compared to other days.
Patients’ comments included:
➨ “It was a pleasant change sitting with other
patients having a good chat, more enjoyable
than sitting by your bed”.
➨ “I enjoyed my dinner much more today,
talked with fellow patients about my time
in the forces”.
➨ “Found it more calming today, without doctors
and physiotherapists about”.
➨ “I enjoyed sitting at the table and I liked the
music, it made me feel calmer”.
Arlene is happy to report that a meeting has already
taken place with the Ward Sister to see how they can
incorporate these changes into the daily routine.
HCA Council Rep: East of Scotland Branch
“I presented the publicity material at a meeting of Senior Nurses where it was agreed that two wards Dunino
and Lomond would take part in the Day. These wards have the greatest difficulty in ensuring an undisturbed
Mealtime. On the day all the staff involved wore the stickers and posters were displayed in the two wards and
in the hospital dining room. All went well and we were particularly pleased that we had the opportunity to
educate staff and visitors about the concept behind protecting the Mealtime experience for the patients.”

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Christine Wright
Paediatric Dietitian, Calderdale Royal Hospital
“We only had a small number of patients on the ward on the 4th and some of the mothers had a very limited
understanding of English. With the help of the stickers and the posters and careful explanation to the relatives
and patients about the importance of protecting the mealtime experience all the staff involved felt it was a very
worthwhile exercise. We hope to repeat it very soon.”
Alison Grieve, Support Services Manager, at West
Park Rehabilitation Hospital worked closely with
Rowena Kiddie the Modern Matron at the Hospital to
organise the day’s events. They prepared a press
release and received a good write up in the local paper
as well as appearing on local radio. The day itself went
very well, “I don’t know how we managed it but the ward
had its quickest ever doctor’s round. When I arrived on
the ward as 12.20pm ready for the meal service at
12.45pm the Consultant let me know he was leaving.
(It shows how wrong you can be as I thought this is
where I would have faced real problems).
The atmosphere on the ward was really calm with
soothing music, chosen by one of the patients, being
played. The telephone only rang once, no nursecall
alarms were rung and no patients asked to go to the
toilet as all those who had needed to had gone before
lunch. Some of the patients ate in the day room
(something we had been trying to do for ages) and the
tables which had been laid looked lovely. We have had
some very positive feedback from the patients who are
now looking forward to eating in the day room on a
regular basis. The multi-disciplinary team consisting of
the Modern Matron, Support Services Manager, Ward
26
HOSPITAL CATERER
Wexham Park Hospital
Manager, Ward Auxiliary, Ward Housekeeper, Assistant
Housekeeping Co-ordinator, Assistant Catering
Co-ordinator, Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist
Helper all did an excellent job and ensured the day’s
success. The Directorate Management Board and the
Hospital User Group also supported the initiative.”
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust carried out the day in
all three of its hospitals; Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro,
West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance and St Michael’s
Hospital in Hayle and overall the day was a great
success. Mike Pearson (HCA National Treasurer) told
Hospital Caterer all about it.
“The staff at Penzance couldn’t believe how quiet the
ward was, quote - it was a bit like the Marie Celeste! The
patients took it all in their stride but the nurses described
Wexham Park Hospital

Catherine Henderson
Charge Nurse, Ward 7, Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee
“I am a Senior Charge Nurse for an elderly assessment/rehabilitation unit in Dundee. We decided to try
Protected Mealtimes on 4th March and loved it! The staff felt things were well organised, calm and quiet. There
were no distractions. The patients ate better and said they enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. We will continue to
Protect our Mealtimes and best of all the doctors now respect this concept and are to ensure that their rounds
are over by lunchtime.”
Teamwork at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
how much they enjoyed the experience saying that they
were much more relaxed and had more time for certain
patients, they clearly love the concept and are now
clamouring to see it introduced across the Hospital.”
“Royal Cornwall Protected five wards of different
disciplines and whilst the problems were greater here,
the support from the nurses and departments such as
X-Ray was great. We have produced a policy for
consideration by the Board and I am about to present
the concept to the next Senior Sisters meeting.
The balloons that I and everyone in the office blew up
and the posters we produced definitely helped the day
go well, as did the stand that the dietitians set up
in our main restaurant explaining the idea to our staff
and visitors.”
“In our Community Hospitals - West of Cornwall PCT,
Central Cornwall PCT and North and East Cornwall PCT
the day was similarly supported and all reports suggest
that everyone enjoyed it and that the concept will
become part of their Trusts’ policy. All in all the day went
well - everyone we spoke to can see the sense of it, let’s
hope that by this time next year it will be standard policy
on every single ward throughout Cornwall.”
John Hughes, (Member HCA Trent Branch and
Member GP Committee) had wanted to Protect the
whole hospital but found it impossible to organise within
the timescale. They do already have a long-term pilot
running on two wards which is a great success.
They added six wards for the day but on Wednesday the
3rd March they did an observational audit on each ward
and on the 4th did the same. The contrast on some
wards was striking. “The majority were calm controlled
places on the day, others were like a Wild West Movie.
I don’t think we always see what is going on and it was
very good to watch with a newly prescribed set of eyes!
Loyd Grossman visits Maureen Bentley, a patient on King Edward Ward at the Middlesex Hospital, Mortimer Street, London on National
Protected Mealtimes Day. Maureen is seen receiving her lunch from Patient Support Assistant, Maria Goncalves. Managing the Day on
the ward was Modern Matron, Sally James.
Angela Hircock
Food Service Manager,
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn
HCA Member: East Anglia Branch
“We had four wards taking part on the 4th, two
medical and two surgical (Stanhoe, Terrington,
Gayton and Elm). All went extremely well on the
day, no adverse comments received - many said
that the mealtime was strangely quiet - so it must
have been a success! Our Director of Nursing,
Gwyneth Wilson, is hoping to roll the initiative out
Trust-wide in May on National Nurses Day.”
I was most impressed by the nursing teams, I got the
impression that they want to be in control of the
environment and another thing that the day highlighted
was that most of our waste comes from unserved meals
because the patient is off the ward or unable to eat.
We must track these people down to make sure they
Chris Lay, Hotel Services Manager; Andy Tillery, Acting Senior
Clinical Nurse and Maria Stewart at St Ann’s Hospital, Poole
Neville Morrison
Catering Manager, Kettering General Hospital
HCA Member: Oxford Branch
“Our protected mealtime was a relatively successful exercise conducted on one of our paediatric wards.
Certainly this initiative was well received by the ward teams at both lunch and supper time, but equally pleasing
was the positive response from parents of the children. Our thoughts after the event (although not new) are that
designated ward waitresses and communal dining facilities would have aided the experience immensely.”
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Salford Royal Hospital
do eat.” Like so many others of our contributors John is
also keen to implement Protected Mealtimes Trust-wide.
Last but by no means least there are Russell Sherry’s
experiences at Brighton and Sussex University
Hospital NHS Trust. He has been running a pilot scheme
for nearly eight months and on the 4th March he either
visited wards or called them to see how the day had gone.
He has written a Paper reporting the day’s events.
Russell himself visited Egremont and Catherine James
Wards at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. He found the
house doctor, Dr Frasier Booth, to be very helpful and
learned that he has adjusted his rounds so as not to
disturb the patients when eating. Nurses were helping
the patients and were very compassionate to some of the
Hospital Caterer would like to thank the
following people for all the hard work put in
when sending stories and pictures of their
HCA National Protected Mealtimes Day:
more confused patients, all in all it was a very good
service and the ward staff and hosting staff worked
seamlessly together. He noted that on the previous day
hairdressers had come to the ward at lunchtime and
were astonished to be asked to leave. They could see no
reason why patients couldn’t eat whilst having their hair
done! Russell felt that music would help promote an even
nicer atmosphere and will look into purchasing lap trays
for patients who have difficulty eating at bedside tables.
Russell also visited the Renal Ward at The Royal Sussex.
The timing of lunch on this ward has been altered to
facilitate the morning drug round. Patients too are very
aware of the policy as they receive literature to read
about it on admittance to the ward. There was a visitor on
the ward at lunchtime but she was there to help with the
Elizabeth Gibbons
Senior Dietitian, Royal Surrey Hospital
“At the Royal Surrey we were delighted to participate in
National Protected Mealtimes Day. We have been
considering how to implement the initiative for a while.
On the 4th March, after much preparation with posters and
memos to staff we managed to Protect Level E (five wards)
from 12-1pm. It was a team effort, and all the staff on the
wards, our Deputy Director of Nursing, our Matrons, our
Nutrition Sister and myself cleared the wards and the meal
trolleys arrived into deserted territory! Nurses were able to
serve meals rather than being distracted by other jobs.
A deserted ward at the Royal Surrey Hospital
The meals were given out very quickly so the patients were
fed sooner with hotter food. The nurses were able to observe the patients eating and help with feeding if
necessary. The day was declared a great success by all involved. All we have to do now is try and do it every day!”
Marc Phillips
Food Services Manager, Andover War Memorial Hospital
HCA Member: Wessex Branch
“The protected Mealtimes day was a great success here in Andover. I visited all the wards and found no
interruptions except the Drugs Round. The high profile achieved for the event together with all the
accompanying literature certainly helped eliminate non-essential interruptions to the Mealtime. I would like to
commend the whole team of people who worked hard at publicising and running the event. The day has
certainly raised some interesting questions as to why uninterrupted Mealtimes can’t happen as a matter of
course. We must put the necessary pressure on our Chief Executives.”
Russell Sherry, John Hughes, Sonja Brine,
Andrew Donegan, Anna Warman, Arlene Barton,
Sue Batty, Catherine Henderson, Christine Wright,
Michael Duckett, Elizabeth Gibbons, Andrew Gamon,
Alison Grieve, Bernie Grimes, Caroline Hawkes,
Claire Hewett, Angela Hircock, Jane Goldsworthy,
HCA National Protected Mealtimes Day
food service and another patient was being fed in the
discharge area which Russell feels would make a very
good dining area. Russell noted that it was on this ward
that a nurse had been reported by the doctors for being
over zealous in her policing of the ward at lunchtime.
Russell felt that some of the doctors on the day appeared
to be unaware of the principles of Protected Mealtimes
and heard comments that it conflicted with good medical
patient care! A bit more work to be done there then.
Overall he felt the day went extremely well and has
enabled him to identify champions (like Lynn Earl and
David Earl on the Renal Ward at Royal Sussex County
Hospital and Janet Lewis on C2 at Brighton General
Hospital) and areas of good practice. He has also been
able to highlight additional benefits of a Protected
Mealtimes Service which are not necessarily associated
with the service itself. For example on New Timber Ward at
Princess Royal Hospital it was noted that all documentation
is up to date as nurses can focus on completing nutritional
assessments, the nursing staff being acutely aware of the
food consumed. The focus on lunchtime has also helped
identify special needs such as the requirement to reorder
and increase the stocks of adapted cutlery.
He is however aware that the team must not become
complacent and that they must continue to develop the
service and encourage a greater nursing involvement
with this initiative for it to truly succeed in his Trust.
One story that proves the policy must be working is how
when he called C2 at Brighton General Hospital in the
evening to get feedback from the day he was politely
asked to call back because they were still serving the
supper, “Perfect!”
John Hughes, Lee Nash, Tony McElhone, Mike Pearson,
Neil Watson Jones, Mike Newport, Nicola Strawther,
Marc Phillips, Brian Robb, Russell Sherry, Simon Moody,
Wendy Firth, Julie Tonge, Melissa Thomson,
Andrea Hildred, Andrew Donegan, Lyn Bailey,
Neville Morrison, David Williamson, Pam Stansfield.
HOSPITAL CATERER 29

Nottingham City Hospital
Chefs take the National Title at
Le Salon Culinaire 2004
Two chefs - Matthew Thornton and Carl Jarvis - from Nottingham
City Hospital took the title of the Hospital Caterers Association
Hospital Chefs of the Year 2004 by winning the Gold Award in the
HCA sponsored Hospital Chefs Team Class in the Salon Culinaire
National Final on Friday 27 February.
They beat NHS chef teams from across the country with
their skilfully prepared and expertly executed Game Toad
in the Hole served with Roast Swede, Spinach, Parsley
Potatoes and a Celeriac and Red Wine Jus followed by
Rhubarb Blush - Forced Rhubarb and Oranges bound
together with a Vanilla Cream and Italian Meringue.
The Silver Award went to Mark Seales and Mark Wood
from the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne with
their menu of Smoked Salmon & Cod Loin Parcels set
30
HOSPITAL CATERER
on a bed of Potato and Mixed Pepper Rosti with Lime,
Saffron & White Rum Sauce followed by Chocolate &
Orange Marmalade Bread and Butter Pudding.
The other teams were from Hartlepool Hospital and
Barry Neighbourhood Hospital who took joint Bronze
and Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital who achieved Merit.
To create an opportunity for all the chefs to demonstrate
their talent, unrestricted by the boundaries of set
recipes and menus, the Hospital Caterers Association
together with Hobart Manufacturing, sponsored
the Hospital Chefs Team Class of the UK’s largest
internationally respected cookery competition, Le Salon
Culinaire International de Londres. Le Salon Culinaire
took place at Hotelympia 2004, the UK’s largest
foodservice and hospitality show at the new ExCel
centre in London Docklands.
The HCA Hospital Chefs Team Class aimed to give
the ‘crème de la crème’ of NHS and healthcare chefs
around the country the chance to prove that their
craft skills deserve the same star rating as any of the
top chefs.
Finalists, working in teams of two, had to prepare a
two course meal, with appropriate accompaniments,
suitable for serving to NHS patients. The cost could not
exceed £1.50 per head for four covers. Preparation time

was just one hour and all entrants had to provide a
detailed breakdown of their costings in addition to the
recipes, ingredients and method. Judging criteria
included no advance preparation of ingredients or use
of manufactured products and marks would have been
deducted for wastage of ingredients. A maximum of 40
points were allocated across four judging categories -
workmanship, composition, creativity and presentation.
The HCA Chefs of the Year 2004 received the coveted
HCA Salon Culinaire Silver Trophy, a set of professional
knives supplied by NHS Estates, a cheque for £200
Silver Award Winners
Gold Award Winners
Above: Silver Award Winners Mark Seales
and Mark Wood.
Silver winning main course: Smoked Salmon
& Cod Loin Parcels set on a bed of Potato and
Mixed Pepper Rosti with Lime, Saffron &
White Rum Sauce.
Silver winning dessert: Chocolate & Orange
Marmalade Bread and Butter Pudding.
Above: Gold Award Winners Matthew Thornton
and Carl Jarvis.
Gold winning main course: Game Toad in the
Hole served with Roast Swede, Spinach,
Parsley Potatoes and a Celeriac Red Wine Jus.
Gold winning dessert: Rhubarb Blush - Forced
Rhubarb and Oranges bound together with a
Vanilla Cream and Italian Meringue.
and a certificate. The runner up team received a cheque
for £100. The awards were presented by Loyd
Grossman and Neil Watson-Jones, Chairman of the
Hospital Caterers Association.
Recipes from the Competition heats which the
Competition Organisers feel worthy of being considered
for use nationally will be tried and tested for inclusion
both in the NHS Recipe File and on the HCA’s website
www.hospitalcaterers.org
“Hospital chefs are amongst the most dedicated and
talented in the business” says Neil Watson-Jones,
Chairman of the HCA. “By participating in this
prestigious Le Salon Culinaire Competition, they can
prove their skills but with the ongoing challenge of
producing and successfully delivering new dishes as
‘chef’s specials’ for our patients, hospital chefs can
also make a real contribution to increasing the quality
of the dishes on NHS menus”.
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The Winning Teams
Take Time Out to Talk
to Hospital Caterer
It was first time lucky for Matthew Thornton and Carl Jarvis who
entered their first cookery competition at the behest of the
catering management team at Nottingham City Hospital.
John Hughes (Catering Manager) asked Chris Neale
(Executive Chef) who then asked Mat and Carl to enter!
They are all very glad they did now! Chris told Hospital
Caterer that John had been trying to encourage the
chefs at Nottingham to enter for several years but it was
only when Chris was promoted recently that organising
teams for Cookery Competitions officially became part of
his job description!
The idea of entering Hotelympia 2004 was first suggested
by John in September but he only studied the information
from Ron McKenzie (HCA Competition Organiser) in
December. John asked Ron for an extension of time in
order to complete his entry and early in January Mat
(Head Chef) and Carl (Apprentice Chef) were officially the
Nottingham Team. Mat is well known for his skill in the
kitchens and does a lot of the corporate buffet work at
Nottingham. Carl is the up and coming star in the kitchen
- having started his working life at Nottingham as a
kitchen porter. The two chefs immediately gelled and
have since forged a formidable pairing.
The first task of course was to devise the menu so Chris
sat down with the criteria to hand. The first element of
course is the cost (not that that is much of a challenge
to a Hospital Chef) with the second important point being
that the meal should be suitable for patient feeding.
Chris and the chefs wanted to be able to transfer the
recipe from the competition table to the Hospital menu.
Another vital element to making a successful menu was
to ensure it had a high nutritional content.
Chris immediately started work by researching (using
the internet) what fruit and vegetables would be in
season in February. He obviously wanted those
ingredients that would be the cheapest to buy at the
time of the competition and which would taste best.
From those available he chose leeks, swede, celeriac,
spinach and forced rhubarb.
He then decided that Toad in the Hole would be an
excellent main dish. It was cheap, wholesome, basically
quite easy to execute, nutritious and something that
would sit well on the Hospital menu. Of course it was
Toad in the Hole with a difference. It was Toad in the
Hole with caramelised leeks, a splash of balsamic
vinegar, wilted spinach and swede, celeriac and red wine
jus, parsley mash and let us not forget the sausages.
Oh the sausages!
To start with Chris thought he could use bought
sausages. They tasted all different kinds:-
➨ Venison
➨ Turkey and stilton
➨ Chicken, ham and prune
➨ Game
They all agreed that the Game Sausages had the most
suitable flavour to best compliment the dish as a whole.
They sourced an excellent supplier and all concerned
were happy. But then Chris spoke to Ron who told them
that bought sausages were not permissible. So all of a
sudden a crash course in making sausages was the
order of the day - and guess what - they discovered that
they were naturals!
They purchased a mincer and chose to try out the Game
Sausage using pheasant, venison, pigeon and belly pork.
They tried three different combinations until they got it just
right! They also incorporated a small amount of bread
that was soaked in water with a pinch of dried sage.
(They discovered that dried worked better than fresh).
The Chefs then had to perfect the art of filling a sausage
skin! This is what you call teamwork. One chef held the
piping bag whilst the other pulled the sausage skin over
it. Simple and effective - yes - but you try and do it
without laughing!
HOSPITAL CATERER 35

By the end of the crash course they had perfected the
art and after several tasting sessions it was agreed by all
that they were indeed producing a super sausage.
(I say watch out Walls, now that John Hughes
knows that his chefs have perfected the art of
sausage making!).
The same degree of thought and planning went into
the pudding. The main ingredient being the in-season
rhubarb. Chris cooked the rhubarb which tasted
delicious but needed something else, he added the rind
and juice of an orange, a vanilla pod, double cream and
Italian meringue and hey presto a new pudding was
born. As there was no name for it and because its colour
reminded him of blush red cheeks he called it Rhubarb
Blush - move over Gordon Ramsay!
After three cook offs when timings and all the
procedures were perfected - they felt ready for
competition day. Well, they thought they were ready!
On the day when they saw the scale of the event
butterflies were most definitely circling high!
All went well though and after a nail biting hour for Chris
who could only watch on as his Chefs did all the hard
work, the results were posted and they had won Gold.
Everyone had a wonderful day and when they got back
to Nottingham the Press were hungry for their bodies.
They appeared in the Evening Post and on Radio
Nottingham. They will be appearing in the in-house
Magazine and it is hoped that the recipes will be
adapted and added to the NHS Recipe File.
Both Mat and Carl certainly got a taste for competition
and Chris hopes that they will go on to enter other
competitions in the future.
Commenting on their achievement, Matthew Thornton
and Carl Jarvis were keen to stress the importance of
team work in a hospital kitchen. Matthew told Hospital
Caterer, “This award is testament to the commitment
and dedication of all the brigade at Nottingham City
Hospital”. Carl added that he, “felt privileged to have
represented the Hospital Trust and the rest of the team”
and he hoped that their success would, ‘encourage
other NHS chefs to push themselves forward’.
Mark Seales and Mark Wood won the Silver Medal and
again (as with Mat and Carl) it was their first big
professional cookery competition. The boys from
Freeman Hospital, like the two Chefs from Nottingham,
have been delighted to be able to fly the flag for
conventional cooking within the NHS.
Game Toad in the Hole (Serves 4)
Game sausage on a bed of caramelised leeks cooked in
a traditional Yorkshire batter, served with roast swede,
spinach, parsley potatoes and celeriac red wine jus
Ingredients
50g Venison, 50g Pheasant, 40g Pigeon ◆ 140g Belly Pork ◆
2 Slices Bread ◆ 1 /2 Onion ◆ 1 /2 tsp Sage ◆ Egg Yolk
(Remaining from Meringue) ◆ 24" Sausage Skin ◆ 2 Eggs ◆
250ml Milk ◆ 100g Flour ◆ 100g Butter ◆ 1 Leek ◆ 4 tblsp
Olive Oil ◆ 1 tblsp Balsamic Vinegar ◆ 1 Medium Swede ◆
100g Spinach ◆ 1 kg Potatoes ◆ 1 /2 Celeriac ◆ 2 tblsp Red
Wine ◆ Chopped Parsley ◆ Total Cost of Ingredients: £3.50
Method
1. Fry sausages in a little oil and butter until brown.
2. Remove sausages and sit on.
3. Add leeks to hot oil and fry for 5 minutes.
4. Add balsamic vinegar and remove from the heat.
5. Heat Yorkshire tins in hot oven with olive oil.
6. Remove tins from oven, add 1 tablespoon of leeks to
the centre and put a sausage on top.
7. Pour batter mix around the sausages and return to the
oven - gas mark 6, 180°C.
Vegetables
1. Dice swede and add to water, simmer until nearly
cooked and drain.
2. Put a roasting tin in the oven with a little olive oil and
butter - heat until the oil starts to smoke.
3. Add swede to the oil and season. Put the tray back in
the oven and turn regularly.
4. Drain off the oil and fold in the spinach - serve
immediately.
Batter
1. Whisk 1 egg.
2. Add the milk and whisk.
3. Add the flour until a little thicker than pancake mix
Potatoes
1. Peel and dice potatoes.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer until cooked.
3. Drain, then mash with a wooden spoon.
4. Add chopped parsley and butter, then season
Ian Stafford (Treasurer HCA Northern Branch)
encouraged the two chefs to enter. They both have
hotel backgrounds and carry out a lot of the buffet and
hospitality work for the Trust. Ian together with the
two Marks worked long and hard at devising a tasty,
nutritious and well balanced menu. They started with
a choice of four main dishes and three puddings and
after an onerous (oh yes!) round of tasting sessions
unanimously decided on the final two.
Once the menu was agreed an adjudicator from Nestle
came to the Hospital to mark their performance, as they
needed a minimum of 20 points out of 40 to qualify for
the Competition. They passed with flying colours - and
then it was just a matter of practice makes perfect.
The two Marks thoroughly enjoyed the day and felt they
were treated like royalty, Ian on the other hand felt like
an expectant father! All agreed however that the hard
work and the nerves had been more than worth it and
were absolutely delighted with their silver medal.
Since their return they have received a hand-written
letter of congratulations from their Chief Executive
Sir Miles Irvin and both chefs agree they have been
bitten by the Competition bug!
Celeriac Red Wine Jus
1. Dice celeriac and place in a small pan with water and
bring to the boil.
2. When cooked, remove the celeriac.
3. Add red wine and reduce.
4. Thicken using a beurre manié.
Sausage
1. Soak the bread in water with the dried sage.
2. Mince the game, then add the soaked bread, then the
belly pork (in that order, so that the pork forces the
bread through).
3. Season and add the egg.
4. Mix together, then put the mixture into a piping bag.
5. Cut the sausage skin into 7" lengths and tie at one end.
6. Pipe the sausage mix into the skins and tie the open end
(do not prick).
Rhubarb Blush (Serves 4)
Forced rhubarb and oranges bound together with a
vanilla cream and Italian meringue
Ingredients
500g Forced Rhubarb ◆ 2 Oranges ◆ 150ml Double Cream ◆
3 Egg Whites ◆ 75g Sugar ◆ 1 Vanilla Pod ◆ 2 1 /2 Leaves of
Gelatine ◆ Total Cost of Ingredients: £2.20
Method
1. Chop the rhubarb and stew for approximately
10 minutes.
2. Grate and juice the orange, split the vanilla pod and add
to the orange with the gelatine leaves. Bring to the boil
and remove from the heat.
3. Strain the rhubarb and place on a tray in the fridge
to cool.
4. Whisk the egg whites and sugar until they peak.
5. Pipe 4 swirls of meringue and place in the oven until
brown (approximately 4 minutes).
6. Whip the cream.
7. Add the orange mix to the rhubarb, then fold into the
cream and meringue.
8. Pipe into glass bowls, then place in the fridge to set.
9. Decorate with the baked meringue swirl.
HOSPITAL CATERER 37

BENEFITS OF PORK TO INCLUDE IN THE
DIETS OF PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL
Pork is an excellent meat to use in the dishes for patients in hospital.
It is highly digestible.
The fat content of fully trimmed raw pork is only about 4% fat so
it can easily be included in low-fat diets. More than half of the fat
content of pork is in the form of mono-unsaturated and
poly-unsaturated fats, which are the types associated with health.
Pork is a reliable source of:
A 100g portion of pork provides about 22g of protein, which
is necessary for healing to occur.
Both zinc and selenium are important in promoting the
functioning of the immune system, which helps patients to
fight off infections, and promotes healing.
Iron is required for the formation of haemoglobin found in red
blood cells and the iron in pork is the easily absorbable haem
form. Vitamin B12 is needed for the formation of red blood cells
and pork is an excellent source of this important vitamin.
There is now a lot of interest in salt in the diet and pork is very low in sodium.
Mabel Blades PhD, SRD. MBA. BSc. MPhil. DMS. Independent Freelance Dietitian and Nutritionist.
PROTEIN – which is needed for the maintenance of body
tissues such as muscles, skin, heart and lungs.
VITAMIN B12 – needed for the formation of red blood cells.
VITAMIN D – which is essential for the absorption of
calcium necessary for the information and maintenance
of strong bones.
THIAMIN – this is also known as vitamin B1 and is needed
for energy metabolism in the body.
IRON – which is needed for the formation of haemoglobin.
This is the red colouring matter in blood and is responsible
for transporting oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the
body.
ZINC – which is vital in the healing of wounds such as bed
sores, zinc also helps to strengthen the immune system and
thus helps to help the body to fight infections.
OMEGA 3 fatty acids are essential and are thought to
protect against heart disease.
LOOK FOR THE MARK
OF DISTINCTION
All pork, bacon, ham and sausages
that carry the Quality Standard Mark
come from farmers and processors
committed to high standards of animal
welfare, quality control and traceability.
The production chain is independently
audited to ensure compliance with these
standards.

Moving Stories
Billy Cunningham moves
from Ayrshire & Arran
Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
to Hull & East Yorkshire
Hospitals Trust
Billy Cunningham (HCA Member West of Scotland
Branch) has recently made what was to have been a
temporary move from Scotland to Hull a permanent one!
He has moved 275 miles over the Border and into new
NHS Management Structures to a new job at Hull and
East Yorkshire Hospital NHS Trust. Obviously it has been
a big challenge and change both for Billy and his family
so The Hospital Caterer wanted to find out more.
Before his move to Hull Billy was Trust Catering Manager
at Ayrshire & Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust where he
was based at Crosshouse Hospital near Kilmarnock.
(He had been in this post since the South and North
Ayrshire Hospital Trusts merged to become the one large
acute Trust in April 1999.)
Billy told Hospital Caterer, “I was very happy in my old job
and had particularly enjoyed having the opportunity to
standardise and improve catering services for patients,
staff and visitors throughout the County of Ayrshire.”
Prior to joining the NHS Billy had been a hotel chef for 18
years and in the 1980s reached the final of the Scottish
Chef of the Year Competition at two successive Salon
Culinaires in Glasgow. He also gained the City & Guilds
Advanced Craft Certificate, which in those days entailed a
gruelling six and a half-hour practical examination!
He also lectured in Catering for a time at Ayr College.
Billy has always prided himself on working to the highest
possible standards and feels that this sort of dedication
has stood him in good stead for the years that lay ahead
of him in NHS catering. “Yes, some of us were here long
before Loyd Grossman was asked by the government to
make a difference to Hospital Catering”, Billy commented.
In 1991 Billy was appointed catering manager of the
new Ayr Hospital which was a purpose built 350 bedded
acute hospital on the outskirts of the town. Here Billy felt
that he had been given a blank canvas in that he had
the opportunity to develop hospital catering to a
standard that the local population could be proud of.
He feels that his greatest achievement is the fact that
the patients appreciated the Catering Service that he
managed. Between 1993 and 1999, documented
patient surveys demonstrated a patient satisfaction level
that averaged 96.5%.
Also, year on year income from the staff dining room
increased well above the relevant rates of inflation. “I have
always been a fervent advocator of maximising income
from staff and visitor catering, and believe in offering a wide
variety of choice at ALL times throughout the day. I feel that
a lot of Hospitals focus mainly on main meal times and
therefore miss the opportunity offered by effective
merchandising of snack items and lite bite meals”, he said.
In April 2002 Billy won the HCA Personality of the Year
Award after being secretly nominated by two close
colleagues, Janice Gillan and Isabella Dickie.
It was in March 2003 when out of the blue Billy was invited
to take up the post of Trust Catering Manager with Hull &
East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust on a six-month secondment.
“I am not quite sure if my wife has forgiven me yet, but I
accepted the post as I saw it as a wonderful opportunity
to pit my skills in what is referred to in Scotland as a
foreign country!”
Before he had even set foot in Hull, his soon to be
Facilities Director Pauline Lewin had sent him reams of
paper containing his “initial” objectives. He told Hospital
Caterer that it was at times like this that he found his
well developed Scottish sense of humour to be
extremely beneficial! “Pauline also hails from North of
the Border so luckily she had the ideal credentials for
appreciating some of the interesting observations that I
presented to her regarding her level of expectations!”
So what was expected of Billy?
To:
➨ Improve income
➨ Reduce patient food waste levels
➨ Introduce a new ward beverage system
➨ Improve catering standards throughout the Trust
➨ Meet all of the Better Hospital Food 2001 and
2003 guidelines.
➨ Enhance Staff Morale
Not much to do then!
In fact Billy said that this has turned out to be a meeting
of minds. He feels very fortunate to have Pauline as a
boss as she shares his craving to improve standards.
There were however some marked differences to the
way things were done in Hull - things that Billy had
quickly to come to terms with.
“In Ayrshire all food was conventionally produced. In Hull
patient meals in the largest Hospital (Hull Royal Infirmary)
and the smallest (The Princess Royal) were provided
via cook-freeze. Catering at the second largest site
(Castle Hill Hospital) was based on cook-chill.
Furthermore, all patient catering was provided by a
private Contractor and the regeneration of food was
carried out by a second contractor. At Hull Royal Infirmary
and The Princess Royal Hospital, staff meals were
(and still are) produced by an in-house team, whereas at
Castle Hill Hospital the patient food contractor also held
the contract for staff catering provision.”
All this did however was force Billy into driving for a
programme of service improvement. He soon found
HOSPITAL CATERER 39

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himself engrossed in the tasks and opportunities that lay
ahead and was feverishly planning ways of taking the
service onwards and upwards.
“One of the first areas where I was able to make a
difference was in the Protected Mealtimes initiative that
had just been started prior to my arrival. The working
group were very enthusiastic and it was easy to fit in
with their vision of improving the mealtime experience
for patients in the four care of elderly wards pilot
scheme. At the first meeting I attended I suggested
trying out a new menu for patients that was based on a
‘smaller meals and snacks more often’ format.”
Patients are now offered a cooked breakfast each day,
Monday to Friday, have a light soup and finger buffetstyle
lunch, with a hot two course evening meal. Snacks
are offered mid-morning, mid-afternoon and again at
8.30pm in the evening.
The main meal menus were reviewed by a group that
included all four ward charge nurses, dietitians, speech
and language therapists, caterers and patient
representative. The main remit of the group was to come
up with a range of menu choices best suited to this
particular patient group. Not surprisingly this meant
offering more traditional type choices such as cottage
pie, roast meats and fish.
Despite initial scepticism the exercise has proved very
successful with nearly all patients in the study
maintaining body weight, with some actually having a
slight weight gain. This contrasts with the fact that
previously virtually all patients lost weight during their
stay on these wards.
Billy is pleased to report another positive outcome in that
food waste has been reduced and the new menu regime
has been implemented at no extra cost to the Trust.
Due to the success of the scheme a decision has been
taken to continue with this regime as the norm in all four
of the wards.
One of the other challenges that Billy faced was the all
too common problem of lack of investment in equipment
particularly in terms of refrigeration and heavy duty
production equipment.
In terms of staff catering he also felt at an early stage
that there was a lack of choice and degree of menu
fatigue. Billy was very confident that if this was
addressed, there was the potential to increase the
numbers of customers using the catering facilities,
and thereby generate much needed income to
purchase equipment.
Having gained the full backing of the catering team,
new menus were introduced including a variety of
snack items and an extended salad bar. They have also
increased the number of sandwiches and filled rolls
produced in-house.
And there’s more!
Soon after Billy arrived the tendering exercise for staff
catering at Castle Hill Hospital got underway which
eventually resulted in the in-house bid being successful.
“Again, we were able to introduce new and varied
menus, an extensive salad bar and a new sandwich bar.
Within weeks we realised a 30% increase in turnover
compared to what was being achieved by the private
contractor. It was also very apparent that Hospital staff
welcomed the return of services on an in-house basis
and the restaurant is thriving.”
Income from staff and visitor catering at Hull Royal
Infirmary is also increasing at an encouraging rate of
22% month on month which equates to £150,000 after
10 months of the financial year. This has freed up
funding to make many improvements and for the
purchase of much of the heavy duty equipment that was
so badly needed.
The East Riding Medical Education Centre has
been almost totally refurbished as a result of the
extra income.
The Trust is now well down the road towards being BHF
compliant and should meet virtually all of the criteria by
June of this year when the new patient menus are
scheduled to be introduced.
The catering department has developed a campaign to
reduce food waste at ward level in order to fund the
improvements contained in the new menu format.
Site catering managers regularly monitor the catering
service at ward level encouraging and assisting ward
staff in the accurate ordering of patient meal numbers.
They have also been able to trim management costs
mainly through natural wastage, and new staffing
rosters ensure best use of human resources, while
maintaining efficiency of service provision.
The Hull Royal Infirmary site covers a vast area and a
review of vending services was undertaken which
identified a number of areas where further vending
Moving Stories
machines could be installed, this has resulted in a £20k
increase in vending profit for the Trust.
There are a number of future developments planned
including the imminent opening of a modern, themed
cafeteria in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital on the
Hull Royal Infirmary site, and a new all day sandwich
bar is to be introduced in the Kingston Restaurant’s
Cyber Café.
As stated previously Bill has now accepted the post in
Hull on a permanent basis but is still unsure if his wife
has forgiven him as thus far she has been unable to join
him in Hull due to her teaching commitments in Ayrshire.
Billy is, however, delighted to have made the move South
and is thoroughly enjoying his professional life in East
Yorkshire! Billy can’t quite believe how much has
happened in such a short space of time. “It is funny”,
he concludes, “because if anyone had said to me twelve
months ago that I would be working in England and
loving every minute of it, I would have advised them to
seek urgent medical advice!”
Before finishing Billy told Hospital Caterer that he is
looking forward with even more enthusiasm than usual
to this year’s Conference as he will be meeting up with
his “old” colleagues from Scotland again for the first
time in ages. “Hopefully they will share my enthusiasm
for this much delayed reunion.”
Billy receives his award for Personality of the Year 2002
HOSPITAL CATERER 41

I worked with Mike, with him as Editor and me as his
Assistant, for some considerable time and I certainly
didn’t know how much he had done over the years and
how much of the world he had seen by doing it.
It is true to say in recent years his sightseeing has been
restricted to Wales (I am sure he would say Welsh views
are the best) but he more than made up for that in his
early years. More of that later.
Mike was born in Gillingham in Kent, yes born in
England, and as his father was a career soldier went
to several schools before finishing up at Lydney in
Gloucestershire. He left school at 15 and went to North
Gloucestershire Technical College in Cheltenham for
three years as a full time student finishing with three
City and Guilds qualifications. 150,151 and 156.
With these qualifications under his belt he took his first
step on the career ladder in the Merchant Navy with
none other than Cunard Line. He started as a student
cook on the Queen Mary but soon transferred to the
Queen Elizabeth where he spent the remainder of his
time at sea. Apparently you had to have City and Guilds
151 before you could become a student with Cunard,
but then you were looked upon as chefs of the future
and groomed for that role.
The Queen Elizabeth sailed from Southampton to New
York every fortnight, taking five days to get there, with
anything between 24 and 48 hours spent in New York
before making the return journey. Mike says this always
gave him the opportunity for shore leave to visit ‘The City
that never Sleeps’.
42
HOSPITAL CATERER
After 36 Years Service
in NHS Catering -
Mike Hawkes Retires
By Ruth Stedman
It’s always interesting to hear what people have achieved in their professional lives, but it is
equally sad to note you don’t often find out until their retirement party! Well it wasn’t quite at his
retirement party that I learned a little more about a certain Mr Mike Hawkes’ career - it was the
first day of his retirement.
In 1962 he left Cunard and joined the Royal Air Force
as a Junior Technician. He was initially stationed at RAF
Bridgenorth where he did his square bashing, before
being posted to the RAF School of Chaplains at
Dowdeswell Court near Cheltenham. He was there
for about twelve months before being posted to RAF
Hereford as a chef in the Officers Mess. Mike is
convinced his time as a chef has stood him in good
stead during his time in the NHS. It meant he was
always able to help out in the kitchen, certainly during
any periods of industrial unrest but equally importantly
helping his staff during periods of excessive pressure.
It also gave him the knowledge, not only to explain how
he wanted things done, but also to demonstrate how to
do it on the rare occasions that difficult cooks trying to
flex their muscles said it could not be done.
Mike’s next posting, which was to RAF Nicosia in Cyprus,
turned out to be his last in the RAF. He was enjoying his
time in Cyprus when he received the sad news that his
father had suffered a heart attack and he was needed
home. He therefore left the RAF and took over the
management of the family business, a successful pub
just outside Chepstow. Mike says he was sad to leave
the RAF as he had made many good friends and was
enjoying the sporting opportunities available. He played
rugby and cricket for the station first teams at Hereford,
and rugby for the station first team in Nicosia.
Family ties brought him home however and he stayed
to manage the pub for three years.
Life was changing for village pubs at this time and Mike
was keen to move into Catering Management. Seeing an
advertisement for an Assistant Catering Manager in
Hereford, he applied and was successful in obtaining
the post starting his NHS career on 1st April (April Fools
Day) in 1968. He instantly began to enjoy this new
career and began to study by correspondence course
for his HCIMA professional management qualification.
He is firmly of the opinion that the knowledge gained
by studying for the HCIMA made him a far better
Manager than he would have been with just City and
Guilds qualifications, so much so that, if he had his
way, nobody would be allowed to be appointed to a
Catering Manager position without an appropriate
management qualification.
Two years later he was promoted to Catering Manager
in Hereford, and two years after that he applied for,
and obtained, the position of Catering Manager in the
Royal West Sussex Hospital in Chichester. Life seemed
at this stage to go in two or three year cycles because
two years later he was back in Wales being appointed
District Catering Manager to North Gwent HMC based in
Abergavenny. He says he thoroughly enjoyed being able
to put his management skills into practice and being
able to make things happen. It was at Abergavenny that
Mike completed his studies and obtained his HCIMA
qualifications after five years of studying.
Mike tells me that he remembers one particularly crazy
time in 1974 when as District Catering Manager,
following yet another NHS re-organisation, he had to
organise a major function for the outgoing Hospital
Management Committee, and then a few days later
organise another function for the incoming District

Management Team. The only problem was he was
catering for the same people at both events.
In 1976 (2 years later again) an opportunity arose for
what was seen as the top NHS Catering Management
post in Wales. District Catering Manager for Cardiff
Hospitals. This covered the only three teaching Hospitals
in Wales plus another thirteen Hospitals. He had a
support team of six Catering Managers and nine
Assistant Catering Managers. He started as he meant to
go on, and in the first year he managed to make savings
of over a quarter of a million pounds on the provisions
budget alone. He is proud of the fact that this was not
achieved by cutting services, but by better management
of resources.
As a result of yet another NHS re-organisation a few
years later, the role of District Catering Manager was lost
and replaced by that of District Catering Advisor, with
management responsibility being passed over to hospital
General Managers. He says he found this particularly
frustrating in having to influence change, generally to
non believers, rather than managing it.
In 1993 he moved back into management again in the
position of Hotel Services Manager at the University
Hospital of Wales in Cardiff covering Catering, Domestics,
Accommodation, Porters, Security, Telecommunications,
Laundry, and Grounds and Gardens. He says this was
one of the most satisfying jobs he had been in and felt
he was able to create a good team spirit amongst his
managers and begin to make an impact on the quality
of service being provided. As an example, he was
instrumental in bringing in a ward-based catering
service to the Hospital which significantly improved
the quality of catering service to patients.
In 1997, with the appointment of a new Chief Executive
and a multi million pound deficit forecast by the Hospital
it was decided 69 senior and middle managers
would have to go, and rather than go for compulsory
redundancies, all senior and middle managers were
invited to see what packages would be available to
them should they wish to be considered. Mike says
his package was too good to be turned down, so in
1997 he thought he had said goodbye to the NHS
other than the prospect of picking up one or two
consultancy opportunities.
He had been home less than a month when the Chief
Executive of Velindre NHS Trust in Cardiff telephoned
him at home and asked him if he would be interested
in a part-time short-term consultancy at Velindre
Hospital to sort out a problem he had with his catering
services. Apparently 75% of the complaints received at
the Hospital were catering related. Mike agreed to take
up the challenge and it did not take him long to see
what the problems were and to produce cost benefit
plans to resolve them. There was no kitchen at the
Hospital, and no room to build one, with food being
cooked in a neighbouring Hospital, albeit on the same
campus, and transported overland to Velindre.
He calculated how many hours other departments
involved in the food chain were using, (nursing, domestics
and porters) and persuaded the Chief Executive to
introduce a ward based cook freeze catering service
and to fund it by transferring the money from those
departments who would no longer have any catering
duties to perform. The service was therefore put in at
no extra cost to the Trust. The service was introduced
and Mike was made a permanent member of staff
on a part time basis, a position he retired from on
29th February 2004.
He says he thoroughly enjoyed his time at Velindre
Hospital and is particularly proud of what he has
achieved, as demonstrated by the catering notice board
in the main hospital corridor which is covered in thank
you cards received from patients and patient’s relatives
all specific to the quality of the catering service provided
at the hospital. (How many Catering Managers can
match that?) Patient’s satisfaction surveys were also
consistently showing a 100% satisfaction response.
He says the main reason for this is that no other
discipline is involved in the food chain.
Mike has always been an innovator. He was one of
the first NHS catering managers to use a computer
for costing recipes, and although he had a strong
preference for cook-serve, he was a firm advocate of
cook chill and cook freeze when the circumstances
demanded it. He also experimented with Sous Vide to
see if there was a place for it in the NHS. In addition
he experimented with using a ward breakfast trolley
that enabled staff to make toast in front of the patients.
This one had to be overlooked when it kept activating
the fire alarms.
Mike told me that he feels the key to his success over
the years was knowing what he wanted and then putting
in the effort and going for it. He said you also had to
be brave and be prepared to take out staff who were
not up to the job. This not only removed one problem,
but invariably created a better team spirit amongst the
people who were doing the job properly, and sent a
strong message to other members of staff who could
have drifted the wrong way had things been allowed
to slip.
As for his HCA life, Mike initially joined the West
Midlands Branch (membership number1955) when he
was in Hereford, and was a founder Member of the
South West Thames Branch when he was in Chichester.
We all know he became a very active Member of Wales
Branch on moving back to Wales.
He was Wales Branch Council Representative for many
years, and at National level has been Assistant National
Secretary, Editor, National Treasurer, and was the only
person to have been elected as National Chairman twice.
Glutton for punishment I hear you say. Since 1974
he has missed only two National Conferences, was
Conference Secretary for the 1980 Conference in
Llandrindod Wells, and was Conference Treasurer for
the 2002 National Conference in Wales.
So what does the future hold? Mike isn’t quite ready for
golf five days a week (maybe two) and has not decided
yet how he will fill his time, although I cannot help
feeling a certain dietitian called Caroline might just have
a few plans for him. Methinks Mike hasn’t quite given up
the catering profession yet. The team at Hospital Caterer
as well as the Association as a whole wish him all the
best in whatever life has in store for him.
HOSPITAL CATERER 43

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Lord Whitty, Minister for Farming, Food and Sustainable Energy, meets Mike Duckett on a visit to Royal Brompton
The Hospital Food Project
A new two year project is underway which aims to increase local and/or organic food supply into
four London NHS hospitals to 10% of their routine catering provision. The Hospital Food Project, run
by London Food Link in partnership with the Soil Association, evolved after recent work by Sustain
and The Soil Association on encouraging sustainable food procurement in the public sector.
The Hospital Food Project aims are two-fold.
Firstly it aims to promote health by providing fresher
food for patients, staff and visitors. Clearly much
catering in the public sector is for vulnerable groups
who deserve the highest quality food. However, food
is sometimes not as fresh and nutritious as it could be,
as length of time between farm and plate can be many
days. There is evidence that transport and storage of
food can affect its nutritional value, and some losses of
nutrients may occur even under excellent storage
conditions. The vitamin C content of fruits and
vegetables, for example, starts to decline immediately
after harvest so improving the freshness of food
supplied to Hospital wards and restaurants is likely to
affect the nutritional health of Hospital staff as well as
the patients.
Secondly it aims to help Hospitals focus spending on
building and strengthening supply chains originating
from local farmers in London and the South East.
The NHS is a major purchaser of food in the UK,
spending over £500 million on food every year.
About half of this is spent through the NHS Purchasing
and Supply Agency (PASA). There is enormous scope
for Hospitals to develop a sustainable food procurement
system which delivers the best possible combination
of environmental, social and economic benefits for all
those involved.
NHS Estates and NHS PASA are both committed to
improving the quality of food being served in the NHS,
improving the health of the nation and supporting the
rural sector. Working closely with DEFRA on the Public
Sector Food Procurement Initiative, PASA and NHS
Estates have developed a Food Procurement Action Plan
which addresses how improvements will be made in a
range of key areas including procurement, quality
assurance standards, environmental issues, healthier
eating and enabling local suppliers to compete.
The Plan requires working closely with NHS Trusts,
suppliers, catering contractors and farming
representatives. Duncan Eaton, Chief Executive of
NHS PASA said, “Sustainability and improving the
health of the nation must be integral to public
procurement. Sustainable food procurement offers the
opportunity to deliver benefits across the board, from
working with UK suppliers to improving environmental
and health outcomes”.
Funding for the Hospital Food Project
This project is supported under the England Rural Development
Programme by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs and the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.
London Food Link is also grateful to the King’s Fund for providing a
grant to help with this project.
The project hopes to connect Hospitals with local
and/or organic food suppliers in order to establish:
➨ A workable local/organic supply chain which
can deliver a proportion of Hospital food needs.
➨ An administrative system which helps Hospitals
to buy local food where appropriate.
Support will be offered to help Hospitals set supply
tenders which improve chances of local and/or organic
suppliers and to develop menus which favour seasonal
and/or organic food. Specialist supply chain and
technical training events will help food suppliers in
London and the South East and Hospital Caterers
optimise conditions for getting local and/or organic
food into wards and staff restaurants.
As well as fostering better opportunities for supplying
local food, the Hospital Food Project will also
commission research on local food infrastructure and
distribution needs in London, and on the viability of a
new local food centre. The project will also measure
the health and economic effects of increasing local
and/or organic food supply to participating Hospitals.
Additionally, a network will be established to replicate
HOSPITAL CATERER 47

The Hospital Food Project
Mushrooms grown by Agridutt (Int) Ltd
the projects successes in other areas of public sector
catering such as schools.
Peter Melchett, the Soil Association’s Policy Director
said, “There is now a real enthusiasm to change the
food served in schools and hospitals with a drive from
the Government. With poor diets and the resulting
serious ill-health epidemic now firmly on the political
agenda, we have opportunities to make meals nutritious,
healthy, popular and enjoyable.”
Four London Hospitals have volunteered to participate
in the project; one general Hospital, one teaching, one
specialist and one mental health hospital. These broadly
represent the diversity of NHS catering operations in
London. Ealing General Hospital and St George’s
Hospital, Tooting due to their larger size and the nature
of their catering operations will focus on provision of
local and/or organic food in hospital restaurant areas.
Participating Hospitals
St Georges Hospital
Blackshaw Road
Tooting
London SW17 0QT
Contact: Alison Vincent-Edwards
Catering Manager
Tel: 020 8725 1949
48
HOSPITAL CATERER
Royal Brompton Hospital
Sydney Street
London SW3 6NP
Contact: Mike Duckett (HCA Member
Greater London Branch)
Catering Manager
Tel: 020 7351 8432
London Food Link
London Food Link aims to help producers, consumers and
retailers in London make a positive choice for sustainable,
local food. This means better access to affordable, high
quality and seasonal food, shorter supply chains and
campaigning for policies which promote a thriving local food economy and culture. London
Food Link is a project by Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming. Sustain advocates
food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people
and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and
promote equity. Sustain represents over 100 national public interest organisations working at
international, national, regional and local level. For further information, contact Fiona
Cairncross, Hospital Food Project Co-ordinator at London Food Link.
Fiona Cairncross, Hospital Food Project Co-ordinator, London Food Link, c/o Sustain:
the alliance for better food and farming, 94 White Lion Street, London N1 9PF
Tel: 020 7837 1228, Fax: 020 7837 1141, E-mail: fiona@sustainweb.org,
Web: www.londonfoodlink.org
The Royal Brompton Hospital, Chelsea and The Lambeth
Hospital, Stockwell which have smaller patient numbers
will include both restaurant and ward catering.
To show support for the project, Lord Whitty, Minister
for Farming, Food and Sustainable Energy, recently toured
the kitchens at the Royal Brompton Hospital.
Mike Duckett, Catering Manager, (Member HCA Greater
London Branch) Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust,
told Hospital Caterer, “The team at Royal Brompton is
excited about participating in the London Food Link project.
By increasing access to local suppliers we can help to
promote health by providing fresher, seasonal foods for our
patients.” Mike was quick to point out
how at the moment his apples come from China, his
tomatoes from Canada and Spring Onions from Egypt.
The only produce that he could think of as being British
were the potatoes and leeks! He is clearly looking forward
to the next meeting with Fiona Cairncross (Project
Co-ordinator) and the representatives from the other
participating Hospitals so that they can really get the ball
rolling. There are obviously lots of things to discuss and
Mike is particularly keen to discover how long it will take to
start building relationships with local suppliers and how he
is going to manage the inevitable cost implications. Food
safety will also be another topic high on Mike’s agenda.
Fiona Cairncross, Hospital Food Project Co-ordinator
at London Food Link told Hospital Caterer, “Initial
discussions with Hospitals have been encouraging, with
Lambeth Hospital
108 Landor Road
London SW9 9NT
Contact: Pam Wastell (HCA Member
Greater London Branch)
Facilities Business Manager
Tel: 020 8776 4671
lots of enthusiasm and commitment all round to make
this project a success. There are particular issues
surrounding food supply into London and so if we can
make this project work in London then we should be
able to make it work in other areas.
“The four Hospitals in the project want to source fresher,
local and/or organic food but are concerned that it may
cost more to do so. We will try to utilise gluts in supply
of seasonal UK produce to keep costs down, but at times
good quality, fresh and nutritious local and/or organic
food may be more expensive to source. We will aim to
use existing Hospital procedures wherever possible so
that administrations costs are not increased.”
The project has already received many expressions of
interest from farmers and producers wishing to be
involved, and these are being investigated by the project.
One such company is Agridutt (Int) Ltd, a family business
in the London Borough of Newham, growing over
9000kgs of mushrooms every week. Mr Datta of
Agridutt (Int) Ltd, stressed, “It has made sense to me for
quite some time that mushrooms grown in London
should be supplied to London Hospitals, not Dutch
mushrooms. I hope this project will be the start of
something really good for Agridutt, which provides
flexible, local and part time work to the multi-ethnic
community in Newham.”
Ref: ‘Good Food on the Public Plate - A manual for sustainability
in public sector food and catering’ (Published Sept 2003), for full
details of all Sustain publications, see www.sustainweb.org
The Soil Association
Ealing Hospital
Uxbridge Road
Southall
Middlesex UB1 3HW
Contact: Wendy Capehorn
Hotel Services Manager
Tel: 020 8967 5602
The Soil Association is the UK’s leading certifier and promoter of
organic farming and food and as a charity also works to make
local organic food available to all within a thriving local food
culture. For information about current projects or to find out more
about sourcing local and organic food, contact the Soil
Association’s Local Food Links Department on 0117 914 2424 or visit their local food
website at: www.localfoodworks.org
The Soil Association Local Food Links team can be contacted at:
Bristol House, 40-56 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6BY
Tel: 0117 914 2424, Fax: 0117 925 2504, E-mail: adaniel@soilassociation.org,
Web: www.localfoodworks.org, Web: www.soilassociation.org

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The Heat Box vends freshly baked hot
Baguettes with a choice of filling, such as ham
& cheese, bacon, cheese & onion, sausage &
bacon, chicken tikka, etc. There are currently 15
varieties in the range, with the machine holding
up to 6 different selections.
There are 10 product channels holding
140 baguettes in total. The baguettes are
pre-made using cooked ingredients, then
frozen down using a special food
production process. Once defrosted and
placed into the refrigerator compartment
of the machine, the Baguettes have an
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food product has been developed and
anglicised over the last two years to meet
the demands of the British culture, from
site tests carried out it has been proven
that the Heatbox can lead to great
incremental revenue when sited near a
beverage machine.
The Healthcare Sector is a particularly
niche market for the Heatbox machine.
Whereas many other hot food machines
require the use of a microwave ancillary
to the vending unit. The Heatbox has its
own integral oven to produce a freshly
baked product. September 2003 saw two
units installed in to Portsmouth N H S
Trust Hospital’s, at St Mary’s and Queen
Alexandra’s. The units have been a
tremendous success and to quote the
unit catering manager Steve Jones at St
Mary’s, “The Heatbox has been a great
success allowing us to feed members of
the public and staff around the clock,
with a freshly baked delicious hot
product, ready in minutes. There’s also a
good variety of fillings to choose from
and a great back-up service from the
Heatbox team”.
Steve Jones (Unit Catering Manager) and Irene Tyler (Restaurant Supervisor), along with the Heatbox,
installed at St Mary’s Hospital Portsmouth
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5 A Day -
How You Can Help
Awareness of the 5 A DAY message is increasing, but
there is still lots to be done to encourage people to eat
5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. A recent survey
by the Food Standards Agency into consumer attitudes
to food, found that almost 60% of people said they knew
they should eat 5 portions a day compared to 43% in
2000. However, in 2003 only 28% actually achieved this
target, compared to 26% in 2000.
The Department of Health is urging Hospital Caterers
to support the 5 A DAY programme, by joining the 314
organisations who have already signed up to the logo
for use on packaging or promotional materials.
Graham Jacob from NHS Estates said, “Hospital Caterers
have a strong record of supporting initiatives aimed at
50
HOSPITAL CATERER
It is now a year since the launch of the Department of Health’s 5 A DAY logo.
The logo, which is designed to help consumers see at a glance whether a
product will help them to achieve the recommended 5 portions of fruit and
vegetables a day, has already started to appear on a wide variety of brands
throughout the country. These include Asda, Birds Eye, Coop, Del Monte,
Minute Maid Orange Juice for McDonalds, Sun-Maid raisins, Whitworths dried
fruit and Boots.
improving health through food and nutrition and it is
important that they embrace the 5 A DAY programme
with the same enthusiasm. The potential benefits to
the health of patients, staff and the wider population
which flow from improving diet are increasingly well
recognised, and the 5 A DAY initiative presents a
further opportunity for Caterers to demonstrate their
commitment to emphasising the role of food in securing
and maintaining good health.”
The 5 A DAY programme plays a major part of the
Government’s framework for prevention of ill health and
for the reduction of health inequalities. It ultimately aims
to encourage people to increase their consumption of
fruit and vegetables. Eating at least 5 portions of a
variety of fruit and vegetables a day can help to reduce
the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease,
stroke and some cancers. Experts suggest that it is the
second most effective strategy to reduce the risk of
cancer, after reducing smoking.
At present, only products with no added sugar, fat or salt
may carry the 5 A DAY logo (this includes fresh, frozen,
cooked, chilled, canned and dried fruits and vegetables
as well as 100% fruit and vegetable juice). If the logo
appears on a product, people can be confident that it
will count towards the recommended daily target for fruit
and vegetables and that they aren’t eating too much
salt, sugar or fat at the same time.

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A portion indicator has also been developed to help
people identify how many portions of fruit and
vegetables a product provides towards the 5 A DAY
target. One shaded square of the portion indicator
means that a typical serving of that food provides
1 of your 5 A DAY portions. Two squares mean it
provides 2 portions.
Nutritional criteria for composite foods are currently
being developed, to enable products such as ready
meals, sauces and soups which contain added sugar,
salt or fat, to carry the logo. These criteria are expected
to be launched later this year. However, the logo and
portion indicator may still be used on products such
as juices, smoothies and salads, (without added
ingredients), and caterers are encouraged to remind
their customers of the 5 A DAY message by displaying
the logo on their menus, providing there is at least one
item on the menu that meets the current criteria
(100% pure fruit or vegetable, including 150ml servings
of juice) and advising on how they can achieve their
5 A DAY target.
Interested companies need to apply for a licence to
use the logo, ensuring the guidelines are adhered to.
This is free of charge for promotional use.
How Can Hospital Caterers Support
the 5 A Day Programme?
As a Hospital Caterer, much can be done to support
the 5 A DAY programme and increase the consumption
of fruit and vegetables among staff and patients alike.
With obesity and healthy eating high on the
Government’s agenda, and with consumers becoming
more demanding and knowledgeable about their diets,
there has never been a better time to focus on
encouraging people to eat more fruit and vegetables.
Spreading the 5 A DAY message to your customers
can be achieved by using the 5 A DAY logo in your
restaurants on promotional materials, such as menu
cards, posters or table mats.
52
HOSPITAL CATERER
The Department of Health has a range of appealing
5 A DAY materials, including a booklet providing tips on
how to reach 5 portions a day, a postcard and a poster.
These are all available free of charge.
To increase consumption of fruit and vegetables and to
make it as easy as possible for your customers to eat
more, it is important to make fruit and vegetables as
accessible as possible. For example, you could display
bowls of fruit in your staff restaurants to make it easy for
people to grab on the run as snacks, or provide more
fruit and veg options as part of meals. Research has
shown that increasing the frequency with which fruit and
veg is consumed throughout the day is the best way to
achieve 5 A DAY. Even concerns over cost and storage of
produce need not be a barrier to fruit and vegetable
consumption, as frozen, tinned, and dried products all
count towards the daily ration of fruit and vegetables, as
well as fresh produce and 100% fruit or vegetable juice.
A ‘portion’ is approximately 80g/3oz. This translates to:
➨ A medium sized apple or 1 handful of grapes
➨ A cereal bowl of mixed salad counts as 1 portion
➨ A medium sized glass of juice (fruit or vegetable).
However, juice should only be counted as 1 portion
a day, regardless of how much is drunk, because
it has very little fibre. Also, the juicing/blending
process ‘squashes’ the natural sugars out of the
cells that normally contain them, and this means
that drinking juice in between meals isn’t good
for teeth
➨ Beans, such as baked beans or kidney beans,
and other pulse vegetables, such as lentils and
chickpeas count only once a day, however much
you eat. This is because although pulses contain
fibre, they don’t give the same mixture of vitamins,
minerals and other nutrients as fruit and vegetables.
So in order to get a healthy balance, it is important to
ensure that you get a variety of fruit and vegetables.
3 heaped tablespoons count as 1 portion
➨ 1 portion of dried fruit counts (for example 1 portion
could be 3 dried apricots or 1 tablespoon of raisins),
but other types of fruit and vegetables should be
eaten to meet the rest of the 5 A DAY target
➨ Canned fruit and vegetables count towards a
portion. This could be 3 heaped tablespoons of
canned peas, or 2 halves of canned peaches
Supporting the Department of Health’s 5 A DAY
programme will help you to encourage your customers
to be healthy, while raising awareness of the benefits of
fruit and vegetables. If you would like further information
about the 5 A DAY programme, as well as a list of what
counts towards the 5 A DAY target and portion sizes,
visit the Department of Health website -
www.dh.gov.uk/healthtopics. Alternatively, visit stand
100 at the Hospital Caterers Association Conference on
29th - 30th April 2004, where the 5 A DAY team will be
present to answer any questions.
For further information
To order 5 A DAY posters, leaflets and postcards to
display in your restaurant call 08701 555455.
To apply for a licence to use the 5 A DAY logo on your
own promotional materials, for example to highlight
healthy options on your menu and to remind your
customers of the 5 A DAY message e-mail
fiveaday@cmi-plc.com or call the 5 A DAY Licensing
Helpline on 0709 200 3292.

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HOSPITAL CATERERS ASSOCIATION
conference
29th - 30th April 2004
HCA National Conference 2004
It’s all about you!

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Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Letter from the
President:
On most weekday afternoons, we heard a concert by
the orchestra of one of the popular seaside resorts.
The Scarborough Municipal Orchestra, at one time,
as I recall, was conducted by Kneale Kelley who went
on to the ultimate heights of conducting the orchestra
at the Saturday Night Music Hall. Here was the man
who was actually in charge of accompanying the likes
of Norman Long (a song, a joke, and a piano) and
Miss Gwen Catley (Gems from the Opera House).
Miss Catley had a special standing in the Bailey
household because my mother had discovered that she
was the second cousin of Mr Jay who sliced bacon at
our local Co-op shop. It was of no consequence that
Mr Jay could not recall ever having met her. Elsewhere,
Torquay had its orchestra that broadcast regularly as did
Bournemouth under Dan Godfrey.
My father dismissed the whole business as a massive
confidence trick with the BBC having only one orchestra
that never left London but assumed a different name
each afternoon. And, as if to clinch the argument, he
added, “You’ll notice that Brighton will have nothing to
do with this deception.” I should, perhaps, mention that
my father had a deep regard for Brighton although he
had never been there.
The hard-fought draw gained by Brighton and Hove
Albion against Newport County in, I think it was, 1927 in
the old Third Division South, had won my father his one
and only success on the football pool, in those days
organised by a firm known as Bart Sharp. It was
obviously a place of integrity to be respected by
everybody east of Newport. But enough of this nostalgia
- perhaps it was 1926 - because it is April, 2004 that
is what this is really all about.
The founding Branch of the HCA is hosting our Annual
Conference with the theme, “It’s all about you!” I can
almost feel the finger of Lord Kitchener pointing at me.
Or was it Lord Haig? No matter; the Central Branch is
busy ensuring that our visit will be most rewarding in
professional, commercial, and social terms. No HCA
Member can afford to miss it. What is almost more
important is that no employer of HCA Members can
afford to let them miss it.
Last year at Birmingham, we saw an innovation in that
next year’s host took a stand at the Trade Exhibition to
give us the feel of what was to come. I know that will
not be the only innovation the Central Branch is planning
without, I emphasise, losing the well-established and
popular traditions built up over many years.
It is over thirty years since the HCA Conference
was last in Brighton. As Sam Goldwyn so aptly put it,
“We’ve all passed a lot of water since then.”
Sir Brian Bailey, OBE, JP, DL
National President
Hospital Caterers Association
HCA National Conference 2004
It’s all about you!
I well remember the early days of radio and the obvious struggle
of the BBC to balance all the various strands of what it judged to
be good for the listeners. It’s all
about
you!
If you are reading this in
Brighton… you made it!
On behalf of our Central Branch of the Hospital
Caterers Association, we warmly welcome you
to the Association’s 51st Annual Hospital
Caterers National Conference at the Hilton
Brighton Metropole.
Brace yourself for a lively and topical
programme, with great supplier support and
plenty of opportunities to network and improve
your business relationships. Can I take this
opportunity to remind you that one of our aims
this year is to stimulate challenging debate on
real patient issues that affect all of our daily lives.
We are all aware that the NHS is undergoing
huge change and, we need to be ready and
equipped to meet the many challenges that this
environment brings. This year’s Conference sows
the seeds offering one of the few opportunities
that we - as an integral part of the NHS - has to
actually influence what some of these changes
are likely to be.
Finally, we would ask you to remember that -
above all - it is ALL ABOUT YOU.
Stuart Barnhill
Conference 2004 Secretary
HOSPITAL CATERER 57

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Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
HCA Central Branch
Formed in 1948, Central Branch is the original founding body of the HCA.
Founded by 25 London Hospital Catering Officers, the HCA was one of the first
professional associations to be formed within the National Health Service.
Since its inception Central Branch has a history of being
very active both locally and at a national level.
Sadly the Branch declined throughout the nineties,
possibly as a result of competitive tendering and
the emergence of external catering suppliers,
this decline led to the near closure of the Branch
in 2000.
From this low ebb in 2000 the Branch has gone from
strength to strength, thanks mainly to a hard working
core group of supporters, they know who they are!
The Branch is now enjoying a period of sustained
and steady growth. The Greater London Branch was
Venue
Hilton Brighton Metropole
Welcome to
Brighton
formed as a direct result of focussed recruitment
within the Capital.
Central Branch openly encourages joint Branch
activities; some of the most successful have been with
South West Thames in particular a well supported Salon
Culinaire event at Epsom Race Course in 2002.
Central Branch also hosted the very first study day to
examine the Better Hospital Food dishes, where all the
food suppliers and service equipment manufacturers
came together to demonstrate and promote the Better
Hospital Food initiative in a practical way, followed by a
discussion led by Paul Hatcher.
Hilton Brighton Metropole
At the Hilton Brighton Metropole, you can really get
everything you need to relax, from sea views and
excellent food to a fabulous Health and
Leisure Club. With its recent multimillion
pound refurbishment, the hotel
has retained and revisited the
elegance and tradition of the Victorian
era in which it was originally built,
whilst bringing a fresh, stylish and
contemporary feel to its facilities.
Brighton -
the city by the sea
Brighton & Hove is a city by the sea
that since Regency times has been on
a roller-coaster of fun, charm, style
and eccentricity. Within walking
distance to the seafront are Brighton’s
many shopping areas, including the
historic ‘Lanes’ area where you can
browse around the bijoux boutiques,
cosmopolitan cafes and renowned
restaurants. Other local attractions
The rebuilding of Central Branch is crowned with the
honour of being your host for the 2004 Conference
in Brighton.
Our current Branch officers are:-
Branch Chairman Andrew Christodoulou
Branch Vice Chair Russell Sherry
Branch Secretary Michelle Clements
Branch Treasurer Ray Walsh
Council Representative Michelle Clements
include Brighton Pier, Royal Pavilion and Theatre Royal,
as well as hundreds of pubs and bars, dozens of live
music venues and art galleries, not to mention the
illustrious beach front!
Directions to the HCA Conference
D Y K E R O A D
ERRACE CHALTHAM PLACE
UPPER NORTH ST
Post
Office
W E S T E R N R D
PRESTON ST
P
BUCK I N G H A M P L A C E
P P
Brighton P Centre
QUE EN’S ROAD
WEST STREET
P
P
P
CHEAPSIDE
TRAFALGAR ST
NORT H ROAD
C H U RCH S T
N O R T H S T R E E T
KINGS ROADG RAND JUNCTIO N ROAD
Hilton West
Pier Hotel
Marks &
Spencer
Shopping
Centre
Grand
Hotel
Hilton Brighton
Metropole
Conference
Brighton
Station
Tourist
Information
Centre
Theatre
Royal
P
Swimming
Pool
The Lanes Town
Hall
Tourist
Information
Centre
GLOUCESTER PL
MARLBROUGH PL
G R A N D PA R ADE
Dome
& Library
The
Royal
Pavillion
Thistle
Hotel
L EWES
P
KING S W OOD S T
Police
Station
Royal Sussex
County Hospital
EDWARD STREET
P
Post
Office
ST JAMES STREET
Brighton
Marina
M A R I N E PA R A D E
M A D E I R A D R I V E
Volk’s
Station
Brighton Pier - ‘Fish and Chips
Evening at Palms Restaurant’
HOSPITAL CATERER 59

Caterer’s throughout the world trust…
The benchmark for quality and innovation
www.hobartuk.com

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Committee
Committee
Profiles
Profiles
Stuart Barnhill
Stuart’s NHS career began back in the last century -
the 20th! Over the last 10 years Stuart has
managed a majority of the various services within
the Facilities family.
He currently languishes under the grand title of
Assistant Director of Facilities at East Sussex Hospitals
NHS Trust, where he continues to champion the cause
for patient focussed services, particularly in Catering
and Housekeeping.
Life outside the NHS (yes, there really can be one!)
revolves around his family, his motorbike, golf, beer,
wine and Southampton Football Club, although he is
keen to stress that the last four are in no particular
order and often overlap.
Michelle Clements
Michelle has been with the NHS for 15 years!
She hastens to add, she began at a very tender age.
Her career began in Catering as a Patient Meal
Supervisor in the main kitchens.
Following an in-house management training scheme,
where she gained valuable experience in many of the
Facilities services, she has very recently been appointed
as East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust’s Catering Manager.
She has also found the time during this period to raise
two children and sustain a comfortable family homelife.
Tom Hastings
Tom Hastings is a Director of Heathfield Meats (UK) Ltd.
He has been in the meat industry for more years than he
cares to remember, and coming from a farming
background his career path was set out from an early age.
He has been involved in the supply of meat to the
National Health Service for many years and during this
time, has seen many changes in the format of supplying
fresh meats to hospital kitchens. He works closely with
the Trusts that his company services in an effort to
ensure that they can maximise their spending power
and therefore appease the accountants!
A fierce traditionalist, Tom believes that a balanced
diet must always include freshly cooked meat!!
Jane Gorringe
Jane started in the NHS, after raising a family, way back
in 1976. Jane’s background has been mainly within
housekeeping throughout her service until more recently
when she moved into Catering and managed both
services for East Sussex hospital Trust.
She is currently the Trust Housekeeping Manager,
focussing on the environment and the patients
experience. Jane led one of very first ward housekeeping
programmes, more than seven years ago, long before
the National Plan...
Outside of work she enjoys active involvement with her
five grandchildren - soon to be six!
Robert Gormley
Robert Gormley joined Nestle UK in 1984 and has since
worked across a number of business areas and product
groups within the out of home market and at all levels of
catering supply management with the NHS.
Initially, as a Territory Manager in Scotland, Robert
developed an understanding of the NHS requirements at
unit level and worked closely with a number of hospitals
through the transition from direct product procurement
to regional and central supply arrangements.
In 1991 Robert was promoted to Regional Account
Manager in the Southern Region, and managed the
NHS Regional Distribution Centres and in 1994 became
National Accounts Manager responsible for the NHS
PASA, CSA and SHS contracts.
Robert spent 3 years working in a consumer led role
to look at the impacts that changing consumers needs
would have on the catering industry, and creating new
solutions to help caterers meet those needs.
In 2001, Robert became Channel Manager for
Healthcare and Public Services Catering, and forged
strong links with the HCA Central Branch. He promoted
active involvement for Nestle UK with all branches of
the HCA in order to understand both the current and
emerging needs of Hospital Caterers and Dietitians.
HOSPITAL CATERER 61

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Speaker Profiles
62
Speaker Profiles
HOSPITAL CATERER
Iain Anderson
Iain Anderson, a 48-year-old Scot, is the newly appointed
Managing Director of Sodexho Healthcare. Before joining
Sodexho, he ran the Primecare Primary Care division of
Nestor Healthcare and was a regional manager for BUPA
Hospitals. He moved into the healthcare sector from hotel
management, where he worked for a number of
high-profile chains, and brings to his role a raft of experience across hotel services.
Tim Browne
Tim is Director of Training and Coaching at Learnpurple -
the UK’s first talent retention company, which brings
together a number of innovative tools and solutions to help
businesses retain their talent. Tim has spent over 15 years
in the hospitality and leisure industry and is a certified
trainer in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Hypnosis and
Time Line TherapyTM . He is a personal coach and trainer who specialises in
communication, attitudinal change and senior management development. He is
currently writing two books; one directed towards the catering industry, and the other
concerned with personal transformation.
Jane Collins, RN, BSc, MSc
Having trained at the Royal London Hospital during the
1980s, Jane spent the next ten years working in various
London Hospitals, specialising in cardiac and accident and
emergency nursing. Having relocated to Buckinghamshire,
she took up a post as a Ward Manager in CCU/Cardiology
at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. She then became a Clinical
Nurse Specialist in Cardiology. Next was a move to Cambridge where Jane became the
Ward Manager for the Cardiology Practice Development Unit which included a 24
bedded ward, CCU, cardiac rehabilitation, heart failure and thrombolysis services.
The role of the Modern Matron was implemented at Addenbrooke’s during 2002 and
Jane is now one of twenty-two Matrons with a responsibility for four busy, acute
medical wards and several departments and services. Her special area of responsibility
is the improvement of the ward environment.
Paul Cryer MBA, DMS, IIM
Paul is Head of Hospitality Services at NHS Estates.
The Hospitality Services Section manages a range of
programmes included in the NHS Plan/PPF - specifically
“Better Hospital Food”, Patient Environment Action Teams,
“Clean Hospitals” and also has responsibilities in relation to
other “soft” hospital facilities services. Paul has a history in
NHS facilities management in London and Northampton following which he moved into
NHS general management via capital/service planning and was previously Assistant
Director of Operations at Leicestershire Health Authority During this time he worked on
secondment at Trent RHA in relation to the launch of The Patient’s Charter, had
responsibility for some early National Waiting List programmes and was closely
associated with providing support at hospitals where significant change was required to
build local support and credibility. Paul has wide-ranging commercial experience gained
immediately prior to joining NHS Estates with two multi-national American healthcare
organisations - predominantly focussing on business start-up activities in Europe.
Jill Down, RN, BA (Hons).
Jill is Lead Practice Development Facilitator at
Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust. She is also a Cambridge
Associate Fellow, Practice Development, RCN Institute.
Jill has extensive experience in a variety of posts within
nursing as a practitioner and leader in critical care and
practice development. She has undertaken a number of
projects focusing on enabling clinical staff to become more effective and patient
centred through clinical supervision, action learning and facilitating teams. Currently
she is working in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing Institute and key
stakeholders towards the vision for practice development at Addenbrooke’s, ‘to work in
partnership with patients ensuring they are the focus of effective care’. This is achieved
through creating a culture of effectiveness that is patient centred and evidence based
and by ensuring individuals and teams take responsibility for quality. She has played a
key role in refocusing the work of practice developers across the organisation to
develop a corporate strategy for Practice Development that is operationalised in clinical
areas and involves all staff in the organisation. She is leading initiatives to improve the
patient experience and outcomes across the Trust focusing on evidence from patients
and carers and using the Essence of Care standards.

Loyd Grossman OBE
Loyd Grossman was born in Boston, Massachusetts and
educated at Boston University (B.A.) where he read history
at the London School of Economics (M.Sc.Econ). He is a
member of the Council and the Court of Governors at the LSE.
After starting a career in journalism working for Harpers &
Queen and The Sunday Times he was diverted into
television and has devised, presented, written or produced a number of programmes
including Through The Keyhole (1983-2002), Masterchef (1990-2000), The Dog’s Tail
(1993), The World on a Plate (1996), Loyd on Location (1998-) and The History of
British Sculpture (2003). Loyd has had a lifelong interest in museums and the historic
environment. He is Chairman of the Blue Plaques Panel, a member of the board of
Resource (the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries), Chairman of the 24 Hour
Museum, Chairman of the Campaign for Museums and Chairman of the Public
Monuments and Sculpture Association. He is a former Commissioner of the Museums
and Galleries Commission and of English Heritage and was Chairman of the Conservation
Awards (1998-2002). He is vice chair of the board of the Cultural Consortium for
England’s Northwest and a trustee of St Deiniol’s library, and a trustee and Chairman
Designate of National Museums Liverpool. Since 2001 he has been advising ministers
on the reform of catering in the NHS as Chairman of the Better Hospital Food Panel.
Loyd is involved in a number of charities including the Sick Children’s Trust, Cathedral
Camps, the National Eczema Society and the National Canine Defence League. He is
a keen scuba diver (PADI Divemaster) and very engaged with environmental issues as
Patron of the Shark Trust, Patron of Sea Into the Future (the Marine Stewardship
Council) and as an enthusiastic supporter of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Society. Loyd Grossman lives in London with his wife and two daughters.
Kate Harmond
Kate is an independent health care consultant, specialising
in improvement science and leadership development in the
UK and Australia. Until April 2004 she was Director of
Modernisation in Sussex, where she led the Hospital
Improvement Partnership, a national programme to help
deliver the best possible care for local people. Kate was
Clinical Director with the NHS Modernisation Agency and the National Patients’ Access
Team from 1998 to 2002, where she led reviews and redesigned projects including
clinical leadership, booked admissions, pre-operative assessment, emergency services,
endoscopy, and access improvement to mental health and social care. She has also
worked in New York, Amsterdam and Brazil, and was Regional Director of Nursing and
Priority Services, South Thames. She is studying for a doctorate in leadership and
healthcare improvement. Kate lives in Brighton Marina, and enjoys the nicer things in life!
Laurence Hayert-Bonneveau
Laurence is an engineering graduate in Food Sciences of
the Institut des Sciences de l’Ingénieur de Montpellier.
Member of the Institut Français de la nutrition.
Product development Engineer for Davigel SAS,
in charge of Nutrition, Airlines catering and system
development. This includes development of products with
special dietary requirements: ex Nutriplus breaded fish portion and calcium fortified
products for schools, products dedicated to undernourished elderly in institution, clinical
studies, nutritional assistance to customers for menu design or dietary training, special
meals development for airlines, scientific assistance to Davigel nutritionist group.
Andrew Isaac
Andrew Isaac is Sales and Marketing Director for
Sodexho Healthcare and has an extensive knowledge and
understanding of the healthcare market. Apart from his
central role, he also has responsibility for strategic
planning, service offer, market intelligence and Government
liaison. He serves on Sodexho’s International Market
Champions, exposing him to healthcare provision around the globe and international
best practice.
Mark Lever
Mark Lever took over the role of Chief Executive of
Women’s Royal Voluntary Service in 2002. Previously,
he was responsible for WRVS’ business development.
Mark joined WRVS in January 1996 as director of training
and has helped lead the organisation through a period of
substantial business development, culminating in the
recently launched new brand identity for WRVS. Prior to that he was National Director
of Human Resources and Training for a UK accountancy practice. Mark is a Chartered
Accountant, an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development, has a Masters degree in Business Administration from Cranfield and is
a Member of the Institute of Marketing.
HOSPITAL CATERER 63

Visitor Information
Admission
Badges must be worn at all times throughout the
Conference. All visitors will be registered and will be
unable to enter the event without a visitor’s badge.
The organisers reserve the right to remove any person
without according reason and accept no responsibility
for statements or claims made by exhibitors.
ATM Machines
A range of ATM machines are located at Churchill Square
- a 5 minute walk from the Hilton Brighton Metropole.
Canvassing
Forbes Mutch
Forbes trained as a cartographer at Oxford Polytechnic
(now Oxford Brookes University) but developed an interest
in journalism and worked on a series of student
newspapers after leaving college. He entered mainstream
publishing by joining IPC Business Press - the UK’s leading
business magazine publishers - at the end of the 1970s.
Over the years he has worked on a number of leading trade titles, including Commercial
Motor, Printing World and Flight International. He joined Caterer & Hotelkeeper as Editor
in 1997, and has introduced a constantly evolving editorial strategy that makes the
magazine a “must read” for everyone working in the UK catering and hospitality
industry. He has helped launch caterer.com, a recruitment website, and is currently
developing caterer-online, an editorial-based website offering a full range of
information, including daily news. He is a trustee of the industry’s main charity,
Hospitality Action. Forbes is married with two children, lives in Surrey and lists hill
walking and cricket as his favourite pastimes.
The Lord Warner,
Parliamentary Under Secretary
of State (Lords)
Department of Health
Lord Warner was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary
of State (Lords), Department of Health in June 2003.
Prior to his appointment to the Department of Health,
Lord Warner was the Chair of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.
Canvassing for orders by any unauthorised person is
strictly prohibited and in any such case the rights of
expulsion will be exercised. The distribution or supply of
printed articles, except by exhibitors within the confines
of their own stands, is prohibited.
Cloakroom
A cloakroom is available via the concierge. The service
is available 24 hours a day and there is no charge.
Disabled Facilities
All areas of the hotel are accessible to wheelchair users
and disabled parking is available.
Emergency/Evacuation Procedures
In the event of an emergency an announcement will be
made over the tannoy and the usual evacuation
procedures will apply as directed by the hotel personnel
on site on the day.
Lord Warner has extensive experience in health and social care. In the course of his
career has served as the Director of Social Services at Kent County Council, was the
Senior Policy Adviser to the Home Secretary, chaired the Home Secretary’s Youth
Justice Task Force, and was the Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for
Social Services during the mid-1970s. Lord Warner also chaired the National Inquiry
into Selection, Development and Management of Staff in Children’s Homes in 1992.
Lord Warner has a wealth of experience in working to improve the lives of children and
young people, including young offenders. He has advised the Government on family
policy and the active community. He is currently the Chairman of the National Council of
Voluntary Organisations, Chairman of the London Region Sports Board, and is a past-
Chairman of the Royal Philanthropic Society.
Simon Williams
Simon Williams gained a BA (Hons) in Public Administration
in 1988 and then undertook further higher training in
Healthcare Management. He has extensive experience
of presentation and media skills, project management
including a major public consultation exercise and
facilitating public meetings and focus groups. He is
currently Director of Policy with the Patients Association, a registered charity
supporting, informing and involving patients in health services. Simon represents the
Patients Association at Cabinet Office Advisory Panels, the NICE Interventions and
Procedure Advisory Committee, the GMC Patient Reference Group and the NHS Better
Hospital Design Team.
Lost Property
All lost property to be reported to the Organiser’s Office,
located in Office 1 - opposite the Durham Room.
Organiser’s Office
Located in Office 1, opposite the Durham Room.
Speaker’s and Press Offices
Located in Office 2, opposite the Durham Room.
About CEM
The CEM Group is a Ringwood-based conference and event
management organisation. It organises a wide range of events,
including product launches, awards ceremonies, client days,
parties, exhibitions and conferences. CEM offers clients a venue
finding and accommodation service - its team can source and
locate a venue anywhere in the UK and across Europe.
HOSPITAL CATERER 65

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Conference Programme
Hilton Brighton Metropole
66
Thursday 29th April 2004
09.00 Exhibition opens
Tea and coffee served in the exhibition halls
10.00 Official opening ceremony
Opening speeches by the HCA President, Sir Brian Bailey OBE JP
DL, and the Right Worshipful The Mayor of Brighton and Hove,
Cllr Jeane Lepper
10.15 The Changing Landscape for NHS Food Service
- opportunities, responsibilities and benefits
Lord Warner - Under Secretary
of State for Health
Lord Warner was appointed Parliamentary
Under Secretary of State (Lords), Department
of Health in June 2003. With extensive
experience in health and social care, Lord
Warner has worked to improve the lives of
children and young people.
10.45 It’s all about YOU! - You are unique,
come and find out why!
Have you ever considered how you think, listen and how
you communicate? Have you thought about what effect this has
upon others and how it leaves them thinking about you?
Do you realise the impact that different styles of communication
can make? Come along and learn how to communicate in style,
how to control the type of message you wish to portray to others,
how to allow others the privilege of getting your way!
11.30 Ancient Rituals and Modern Magic
An analysis of policy, politics and personal
preferences in the public sector provision.
Kate Harmond, Healthcare Consultant
Kate is an independent health care
consultant, specialising in improvement
science and leadership development in
the UK and Australia.
12.00 Lunch in exhibition halls
HOSPITAL CATERER
13.45 Healthcare Catering Services across Europe
A discussion implementing case studies from various European
healthcare models
Andrew Isaac, Sales and Marketing
Director, Sodexho Healthcare.
As well as his central role, Andrew has
responsibility for strategic planning and serves
on Sodexho’s International Market Champions
Group, exposing him to healthcare markets
around the world.
14.15 Your chance to ask! Sponsored by
Interactive debate with a panel of
experts on the following subjects:
• Better Hospital Food - where next?
• To pay or not to pay?
15.15 Tea and coffee served in the exhibition halls
16.00 Your chance to ask! (continued)
• Modern matron a battle axe or saviour?
• Food - what do patients really want?
Forbes Mutch, Editor, Caterer & Hotelkeeper.
Since 1997 Forbes has introduced an evolving editorial strategy
including the launch of caterer.com and caterer online.
Iain Anderson, Managing Director, Sodexho Healthcare.
Appointed MD in July 2003, Iain has previously worked for Nestor
Healthcare and BUPA.
Jane Collins, RN, BSc, MSc, Senior Clinical Nurse Medicine,
Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust. Jane is currently one of 22 Modern
Matrons at Addenbrooke’s.
Paul Cryer, MBA, DMS, IIM, Head of Hospitality Services, NHS
Estates. Paul manages programmes such as PEAT, Better Hospital
Food and Clean Hospitals.
Kate Harmond, Healthcare Consultant, Kate specialises in
improvement science and leadership development in the UK
and Australia.
Simon Williams, Director of Policy, The Patients Association.
Simon represents the Patients Association on a number of high
profile committees.
17.00 Day One Conference Finishes
19.30 Pre Dinner Drinks
20.00 President’s Dinner

Conference Programme
Friday 30th April 2004
09.30 Tea and coffee in the exhibition halls
10.30 The NHS - a skills magnet?
Motivating, developing and retaining your people
Tim Browne, Director of Coaching
and Training, Learnpurple
Tim has spent over 15 years in the hospitality
and leisure industry, and is a successful
personal trainer in communication, attitudinal
change and senior management development.
11.00 Tea urns, tabards and tenders.
How WRVS has confronted the new environment of PFI and
commercial competition in hospital retailing.
Mark Lever, Chief Executive,
Women’s Royal Voluntary Service
Mark joined WRVS in 1996 as a director of
training and has helped lead the organisation
through a period of substantial business
development, culminating in the recently
launched new brand identity for WRVS.
11.30 The French Experience - What can NHS
patients treated abroad expect?
Catering in French Hospitals - key figures, regulations, problems
and subsequent solutions.
Laurence Hayert-Bonneveau, Product
Development Engineer, Davigel SAS
Laurence is responsible for nutrition and
system development within her job role,
with a specific focus on the development of
products with special dietary requirements.
12.00 Lunch in exhibition halls
13.30 Update on ‘Better Hospital Food’ Programme
Loyd Grossman OBE
Broadcaster and Journalist and Honorary
HCA Patron since 2001, Loyd has been
advising ministers on the reform of catering in
the NHS as chairman of the Better Hospital
Food Panel.
14.00 How to improve patient satisfaction from
meal services
Essential information on Protected Mealtimes
to choice of menu, presentation and eating
with family.
Simon Williams, Director of Policy,
The Patients Association.
Simon represents the Patients Association on a number of high
profile committees including Cabinet Office Advisory Panels, the NHS
Better Hospital Design Team and the GMC Patient Reference Group.
14.30 Essence of Care - making it easier to swallow!
The challenges of using patient feedback in the practice setting.
Jill Down RN, BA(Hons),
Practice Development Nurse,
Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust, Cambridge
Jill has extensive experience within nursing
as a practitioner and leader in critical
care and practice developments, including
a number of projects focusing on enabling
clinical staff to become more effective and
patient centred.
15.00 Bringing all the
threads together
Tim Browne, Director of Coaching
and Training, Learnpurple
15.30 Formal close of Conference
Sir Brian Bailey OBE JP DL, HCA President
15.45 Tea and coffee in the exhibition halls
16-17.00 Review of Year and AGM
19.30 Pre Dinner Drinks
20.00 Branch Dinner
HOSPITAL CATERER 67

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Main Conference Room
Coffee Point
Lunch &
Refreshments
Lift Lift
Fire Exit Fire Exit
Exhibition Floorplan
Hilton Brighton Metropole
Company Stand
3663 First For Foodservice 9
AGA Foodservice Equipment 38
Anglia Crown Ltd 41
Apetito 33
Balmoral Trading Ltd 9a
Barr Soft Drinks 90
BGL Rieber Ltd 29
Brakes 1
Brambles Foods Ltd 21
Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd 44
Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies Ltd 34
Burlodge Ltd 15
Café Bar (UK) Ltd 76
Cakes for the Connoisseur 8
Calypso Soft Drinks Ltd 75a
68
HOSPITAL CATERER
Toilets
Company Stand
Carlisle Foodservice Products 10a
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health 109
Chef Martin 46
Colston 42
Dale Farm Ltd 74a
DBC Foodservice 73
DEFRA/Sustainable Development Commission 96
Department of Health 100
Dietary Foods Ltd 103
Digitron Instrumentation Limited 84
Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems 35
Dudson Ltd 92
E & R Moffat Ltd 24
Ecolab Ltd 40
Electrolux Foodservice Equipment 69
112 95
96
110
97
109 98
108
100
107
106 101
105 102
104 103
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
Company Stand
Enodis Distribution UK 36
Fagor Industrial UK Ltd 13
Fenside Fine Foods 5
Fermod Ltd 97
Foster Refrigerator 30
Four Square Division of Mars 12
Franks Ice Cream Ltd 74
Fresenius Kabi Ltd 93
Gibsons 78
Glaxo Smithkline 14
GVS Ltd 6
GWP Group of Companies 23
Harry Mason (UK) Ltd 11a
HCIMA Sponsor
Hilton Brighton Metropole Sponsor

Conference
Room
Toilets
Oxford Room
HALL 2
Cambridge Room
Exhibition &
Refreshments
Lifts
Speakers
Press Room
HALL 3
Durham Room
Exhibition Overview
Hilton Brighton Metropole
Company Stand
Hobart UK 50
Hospital Metalcraft Ltd 45
In House, The Hygiene Management Co Ltd 37
Johnson Diversey 49
Juiceworks Ltd 31
Kellogg’s Foodservice Solutions 73a
Kitchequip.co.uk 68
Kraft Foods UK Ltd 3
Lansdowne Publishing Ltd 66
Low Sodium Sea Salt Co Ltd Sponsor
Major International Ltd 21a
Manor Bakeries Ltd 11
McCain Foods (GB) Ltd 79
Meat & Livestock Commission 112
Megabyte Ltd 48
Merisant Sponsor
Organisers Office
Company Stand
Metos Ltd 17
N H Case Ltd 22
Nestle UK Ltd 18
NHS Purchasing & Supply Agency 75
Nutri Pack UK Ltd 16
OGCbuying.solutions 43
Oldfields Ltd 91
P&G Professional 101
Patientline UK Ltd 106
Pritchitts 7
Rational UK 32
RHM Foodservice Ltd 95
Robot Coupe (UK) Ltd 72
Rubbermaid Commercial Products 67
S & L Catering Ltd 80
Exhibition &
Refreshments
Goods
Lifts
HALL 7
Exhibition
& Lunch
Lifts
HALL 5
Company Stand
Single Source Ltd 39
Sodexho Healthcare Sponsor
Stirling Catering Equipment 94
Supply Direct Ltd 71
Sustainable Development Commission Sponsor
The American Potato Company 86
The British Dietetic Association 65
The Reynard Group 70
Tillery Valley Foods 108
Turnstone Colbrook Ltd 110
United Biscuits Foodservice 98
Viscount Catering 36
Walkers Snacks Ltd 107
Yakult (UK) Ltd 77
Zenith Beverage Systems Ltd 26
HOSPITAL CATERER 69

3663 - The UK’s leading
distributor for the NHS
BETTER HOSPITAL FOOD programme
12696
Joubère Tomato
Soup
12910
Chef Martin
Tuna, Tomato &
Courgette Pasta
12896
Chef Martin
Sweet & Sour
Chicken
13293
Chef Martin
Peach Melba
Flapjack Crumble
3663 introduces the Chef Martin branded range
of products that have been developed exclusively for
the Better Hospital Food Programme
Approved by the NHS (indicated by the Chef’s Hat logo )
All the dishes offer . . . .
•Variety needed to create a menu
•Impeccable quality
•Affordable pricing
For further information or to place an order please call... Centre For Excellence 0161 455 3651
or contact your local representative or depot
12915
Chef Martin
Lamb Casserole
13291
Chef Martin
Blackforest Rice
Pudding

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Exhibitor Profiles
Exhibitor Profiles
3663 First For Foodservice 9
Contact Name: Paul Whiteley
Buckingham Court, Kingsmead Business Court, London Road,
High Wycombe, Bucks HP11 1JU
Tel: 01494 555905 Fax: 01494 555996
E-mail: pwhiteley@3663.co.uk Web: www.3663.co.uk
3663 First for Foodservice is delighted to be connected with the Hospital
Caterers Association and is proud to be the sponsor of the official Conference
water, Springbourne which is available in 500ml and 1 litre, PET and glass
bottles. As the Conference badge sponsors, we look forward to hanging round
your necks in the nicest possible way and to being of service as your first
choice foodservice partner.
AGA Foodservice Equipment 38
Contact Name: Matthew Wright
AGA Foodservice Equipment, 4 Arleston Way, Shirley,
Solihull, West Midlands B90 4LH
Tel: Free Phone 0800 526 517 Fax: 01553 817 111
E-mail: afeexpo@afeonline.net Web: www.agafoodservice.com
Aga Foodservice Equipment (AFE) has evolved to meet the needs of customers
by bringing together some of the premier companies from across our sector.
Falcon Foodservice Equipment, Williams Refrigeration and Mono Bakery
equipment together with AFE-online and an exceptional support team with AFE
Serviceline and Millers Vanguard, result in a unique group of companies that
has created an exciting network for the foodservice industry.
Anglia Crown 41
Contact Name: Victoria Badger
Anglia Crown Ltd, Gilberd Court, Colchester Business Park, Essex CO4 9WN
Tel: 01206 854564 Fax: 01206 853787
E-mail: foodchoice@anglia-crown.co.uk
Web: www.anglia-crown.co.uk
Anglia Crown Introduces High Impact Resistant Trays.
Anglia Crown is presenting frozen and niche dishes in black high impact
resistant trays, having impact strength at low temperatures with stability at
high temperatures. Anglia Crown will be the only NHS food provider presenting
fresh and frozen products in different colour trays.
Apetito 33
Contact Name: Rosemarie Hoyle
Canal Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8RJ, UK
Tel: 01225 753636 Fax: 01225 777084
E-mail: info@apetito.co.uk
Web: www.apetito.com
apetito is Europe’s specialist supplier of frozen meals and catering systems.
Since launching the new Healthcare range 4 years ago, apetito in the UK has
seen substantial growth in the NHS. Our willingness to work in partnership with
our customers, allied with our commitment to the BHFP has gained us
significant recognition in this fast growing market place.
Balmoral Trading Ltd 9a
Contact Name: Ralph Taylor
Laurel House, 3 Woodlands Park, Ashton Road,
Newton-Le-Willows, Cheshire WA12 0HH
Tel: 01925 296969
E-mail: ralphtaylor@balmoralhouse.co.uk
Web: www.balmoralhouse.co.uk
Dispensing your thirst - Balmoral at the HCA Conference.
Balmoral Dispense, with many years’ specialist experience in healthcare, is
bringing a wealth of drinks solutions to the HCA, including mobile service, fresh
juice dispensers, and hot beverage systems and ingredients. Linking with the
‘better hospital food’ programme the company is committed to providing the
highest quality standards in the public health arena.
Barr Soft Drinks 90
Contact Name: Linda Taylor
North Road, Atherton, Manchester M46 OBZ
Tel: 01942 886688 Fax: 01942 884103
E-mail: lindataylor@agbarr.co.uk Web: www.agbarr.co.uk
Barr Soft Drinks is the UK’s leading independent branded carbonated soft drinks
manufacturer. Its number one brand IRN-BRU is the original and best, created
from a secret recipe over 100 years ago. The ingredients are expertly blended to
bring to you a gloriously refreshing soft drink.
The IRN-BRU advertising is well known for its humour and 2004 will be no
different. Barr intend to ensure that IRN-BRU remains top of the ‘other flavours’
soft drinks category. For the diet conscious DIET IRN-BRU is available and is low
in calories yet refreshing and thirst quenching. Tizer is another great brand
available from Barr. Tizer looks red, it tastes red and it is red.
HOSPITAL CATERER 71

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
BGL Rieber Ltd 29
Contact Name: Gareth Newton
Unit 6 Lancaster Park Industrial Estate, Bowerhill, Melksham,
Wiltshire SN12 6TT
Tel: 01225 704470 Fax: 01225 705927
E-mail: sales@bglrieber.co.uk
Web: www.rieber.de
BGL Rieber Ltd, one of the UK’s leading quality suppliers of Food
Transportation, Meal Distribution and Food Servery equipment to the Health
Service Sector. BGL Rieber are also the sole UK supplier of the Metos range of
Innovative Cooking Products including Tilting Kettles, Combi Kettles, Combi
Ovens and Pressure Steamers.
Brakes 1
Contact Name: Chris Brown
Enterprise House, Eureka Business Park, Ashford, Kent TN25 4AG
Tel: 01233 206000 Fax: 01233 206318
E-mail: chris.brown@brake.co.uk
Web: www.brake.co.uk
As the UK’s leading foodservice supplier, Brakes offers hospital caterers a
complete solution through our frozen, chilled, grocery and non-food offerings
and our specialty businesses; M&J Seafood, Country Choice and Pauleys.
Our understanding of the healthcare sector enables us to deliver additional
valued services to customers including nutritional consultancy and
online ordering.
Brambles Foods Ltd 21
Contact Name: Ray Shepherd
13-16 Drake Court, Riverside Business Park, Middlesborough TS2 1RS
Tel: 01642 230316 Fax: 01642 230093
E-mail: eat@brambles.co.uk
Web: www.brambles.co.uk
Brambles Foods Ltd is one of the UK’s fastest growing sandwich manufacturers
and distributors in the foodservice sector and a leading presence with a strong
reputation in the Health and Education sectors. The company also distributes a
wide range of chilled and frozen sandwiches and filled breads, via selected
foodservice partnerships throughout the UK and into Europe.
Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd 44
Britvic House, Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1TU
Tel: 01245 261871 Fax: 01245 702612
72
HOSPITAL CATERER
Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies Ltd 34
Contact Name: Jim Parker
Crane House, 1 Bath Road, Heathrow, Middlesex TW6 2BA
Tel: 020 8759 4901 Fax: 020 8897 6038
E-mail: jim.parker@bunzlcleaningsupplies.co.uk
Web: www.bunzlcleaningsupplies.co.uk
Burlodge Ltd 15
Contact Name: Peter Stansfield
Unit 5, Hook Rise Business Centre, 225 Hook Rise South,
Surbiton, Surrey KT6 7LD
Tel: 020 8879 5700 Fax: 020 8879 5701
E-mail: pstansfield@burlodge.co.uk
Web: www.burlodge.com
Burlodge Ltd are committed to working in partnership with catering
professionals, our aim is to provide the latest systems and equipment to
successfully deliver patient meals and to develop the most comprehensive
HACCP temperature monitoring in our industry.
Café Bar (UK) Ltd 76
Contact Name: Steven Murray
Fresh Water Road, Dagenham, Essex RM81 RW
Tel: 020 8597 2632 Fax: 020 8599 6252
E-mail: steven.murray@autobar.com
Café Bar, supplier to NHS ward beverages and breakfast units. 7 day free trial.
Cakes for the Connoisseur 8
A division of Inter Link Foods plc
Contact Name: Jason Mumby,
National Account Manager Cakes for the Connoisseur
Head Office, Connoisseur House, Greave House Terrace,
Lepton, Huddersfield HD8 0DQ
Tel: Mobile - 07974 100 156 Office - 01484 606800 Fax: 01484 608140
E-mail: j.mumby@interlinkfoods.co.uk
Cakes for the Connoisseur are proud to supply the healthcare sector.
Our range of products meet the needs of patient, staff and visitor feeding
occasions. Where specific product opportunities arise we are keen to pursue
the development. For further information call our call centre on 0117 982 6474.

Calypso Soft Drinks Ltd 75a
Contact Name: John R Cuthill
Spectrum Business Park, Wrexham Ind Estate, Wrexham Clwyd LL13 9QA
Tel: 01978 668400 Fax: 01978 668440
E-mail: sales@calypso.co.uk
Web: www.calypso.co.uk
Calypso Soft Drinks has made major investment in aseptic technology to
produce a range of preservative-free soft drinks for caterers. The 85ml Cuplet
is available in Pure Orange, Apple, Grapefruit and Pineapple Juice from
concentrate varieties, while a Cranberry Juice Drink completes an offer of
unrivalled choice to customers
Carlisle Food Service Products 10a
Contact Name: Wil Hoek
Edisonstraat 84, PO Box 110, 6900 AC Zevenaar, The Netherlands.
Tel: 00 31 316 59 6500 Fax: 00 31 316 34 0168
E-mail: foodservice@carlisle.nl
Web: www.carlislefsp.com
Carlisle Europe look forward to welcoming you on to stand 10A. Here you will
see our unique range of Durus Dinnerware which carries a four year warranty
against breakage or chipping. Also on demonstration are Coldmaster Food
Pans which stores food at below 5 degrees for 8 hours without any electricity.
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health 109
Contact Name: Pauline Joyce
Chadwick Court,15 Hatfields, London SE1 8DJ
Tel: 020 7827 5904 Fax: 020 7827 5832
E-mail: p.joyce@chgl.com
Web: www.cieh.org
The CIEH is the UK’s leading awarding body in food safety; health and safety;
and environmental protection. These areas are enforced by our environmental
health professional members, hence the CIEH has expert standing in
developing suitable qualifications. More than 6 million candidates have
achieved a CIEH qualification to help their organisation comply with legislation
and achieve best practice.
Chef Martin 46
Contact Name: Mike Manfredi
Chef Martin, Cheshire House, 18 Underwood Lane, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 2JZ
Tel: 01270 213861 Fax: 01270 587119
E-mail: mikemarfo@aol.com
Web: www.chefmartin.co.uk
Chef Martin UK is presenting many of the new dishes approved as Signature
Dishes. The new web-site, www.chefmartin.co.uk , is being launched;
giving caterers access to new products, nutritional information and the
complete range of dishes, both main and desserts, in our range of nearly
one hundred products.
Colston 42
Contact Name: Lindsay Boothroyd
Brunel Park, Bumpers Farm, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 6NQ, UK
Tel: 01249 652 652 Fax: 01249 444 684
E-mail: lindsay.boothroyd@colstonltd.co.uk
Web: www.colstonltd.co.uk
Leading UK designer and manufacturer of a high quality range of trolleys for
bulk and plated meal systems. Regeneration Trolleys for cook chill, cook freeze
and hotline. Plated Meal Trolleys Single Tray/Tray on Tray. HACCP Systems.
Insulated/heated/refrigerated food distribution trolleys. Cambro distributor.
Dale Farm Ltd 74a
Contact Name: Michael Cox
Dale Farm Ltd, 15 Dargan Road, Belfast BT3 9LS, Northern Ireland
Tel: 01189 751468 Fax: 01189 751468
E-mail: Michael.cox@dalefarm.co.uk.
Web: www.dalefarm.co.uk
Dale Farm is pleased to present our new specialist healthcare dairy yogurts,
including a fat free, no added sugar range, suitable for both diabetics and
vegetarians plus a selection of smooth textured, nutritionally dense, low sugar
yogurts, plus other innovative dairy products.
Pots of taste and exceptional value for money.
DBC Foodservice 73
Contact Name: Jim Dudley
Denmark House, Parkway, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL8 6JN
Tel: 01707 323421 Fax: 01707 393941
E-mail: j.dudley@dbcfoodservice.co.uk
Web: www.dbcfoodservice.co.uk
This year DBC Foodservice has been actively promoting our multi-temperature
offering of ambient, chilled and frozen goods to the Healthcare Sector and to HCA
Members. In March we supported the HCA Protected Meal Time Event. Recent
awards include the sole supply of ambient and chilled goods to ISS Mediclean.
Defra/Sustainable Development Commission 96
Contact Name: Jamie Bird
Room 412, 19-29 Woburn Place, London WC1H 0LU
Tel: 020 7273 8905 Fax: 020 7273 8473
E-mail: jamie.bird@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Web: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/index.htm
http://www.sd-commission.gov.uk/
Defra’s stand on the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative has guidance
to help caterers make sustainable development key to their customer service.
The Sustainable Development Commission, who will be part of Defra’s stand,
will have copies of their new brochure on sustainable food in the NHS.
HOSPITAL CATERER 73

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Department of Health 100
Contact Name: Amy Pratt
Wellington House, 133-135 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UG
Tel: 0870 013 0023
E-mail: amy.pratt@23red.com
Web: www.dh.gov.uk/healthtopics
5 A DAY is a national campaign organised by the Department of Health, which
aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. As part of the programme,
a 5 A DAY logo has been developed to make it easier for people to see what
counts towards their 5 A DAY target.
Dietary Foods Ltd 103
Contact Name: Andrew Keen
Cumberland House, Brook Street, Soham Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 5BA
Tel: 01353 720791 Fax: 01353 721705
E-mail: andrew@dietaryfoods.co.uk
‘Sweet n Low’ low calorie sweetener is ideal for beverages and low sugar meals.
From tabletop to large production cooking Sweet n Low can fulfil your sweetener
requirements. Granular sachets, Bulk Packs, Tablet Sachets and Sugar Free Jelly
Crystals are all readily available in attractive packs for the caterer.
Digitron Instrumentation Ltd 84
Contact Name: Mrs Katey McDonald
Woodland Road, Torquay, Devon TQ2 7AY
Tel: 01803 407700 Fax: 01803 407699
E-mail: info@digitron.co.uk
Web: www.digitron.co.uk
Digitron continues to provided a successful range of Temperature Monitoring
and recording instruments for use within catering. Our extensive range of
products include handheld thermometers and data loggers with products
varying in complexity from basic simple units to sophisticated devices using
leading edge technology and intuitive software. For further information please
visit our website www.digitron.co.uk or e-mail info@digitron.co.uk.
Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems 35
Contact name: Mike Daly
Douwe Egberts House, Manor Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 1QQ
Tel: 020 8236 5000 Fax: 020 8236 5020
E-mail: info@douwe.com Web: www.douwe-egberts.com
Cafitesse 700 is a revolutionary next generation coffee system providing
consistently high quality roast and ground coffee at high speed any time of the
day. It is capable of producing 27 drink options including Cappuccino, Latte,
Mocha, Hot Chocolate, Espresso and Coffee in as little as four seconds per cup.
Staff, patients and visitors to Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire, can enjoy the taste
of real coffee from Cafitesse 700’s predecessor, Cafitesse 400. Cafitesse 400 makes
it possible to produce a freshly brewed cup of coffee at the touch of a button.
For further information please contact Douwe Egberts on 020 8236 5000 or visit
www.douwe-egberts.com
74
HOSPITAL CATERER
Dudson Ltd 92
Contact Name: John Harrison
200 Scotia Road, Tunstall, Stoke-On-Trent Staffordshire ST6 4JD
Tel: 01782 819337 Fax: 01782 813230
E-mail: info@dudson-group.co.uk
Web: www.dudson.co.uk
The Dudson Group was founded in 1800 and today manufacturer’s products
exclusively for the travel, hospitality and health care markets. As one of the worlds
leading manufacturers and distributors of hotelware the company currently
exports over 60% of its production to more than 80 countries worldwide.
E & R Moffat Ltd 24
Contact Name: Gary Allen
Seabegs Road, Bonnybridge, Scotland FK4 2BS
Tel: 01324 812272 Fax: 01324 814107
E-mail: sales@ermoffat.co.uk
Web: www.ermoffat.com
E & R Moffat is showing a host of new products. The newest models in its
banqueting and regeneration trolleys are joined by the Versicarte mobile
modular serveries, Cook-X countertop cooking units and Multiplex modular
wall cabinets and mobile servery counters. Highlighted is Moffat’s exclusive
new Chillogen technology, allowing refrigeration, holding and regeneration of
plated food all in one unit.
Ecolab Ltd 40
Contact Name: David Murray
John Building, Brunel Tower, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1NH
Tel: 01793 511221 Fax: 01793 618552
Web: www.ecolab.com
Ecolab would like to wish all delegates an enjoyable Conference at Brighton
this year and we look forward to meeting friends old and new during the next
two days. We hope to see you during the exhibition sessions to explain the new
products and innovations that Ecolab have to offer this year.
Electrolux Foodservice Equipment 69
Contact Name: Terry Stack
Crystal Court, Aston Cross Business Park, Rocky Lane, Birmingham B6 5RQ
Tel: 0121 220 2841 Fax: 0121 220 2875
E-mail: terry.stack@electrolux.co.uk
Web: www.electrolux-professional.com
Electrolux will be showing at the HCA Conference its new medical-line
dishwasher-disinfector that meets the very highest standards of hygiene in
cleaning crockery and utensils in hospitals at ward level. Designed to meet the
requirements of HTM 2030 the dishwasher has been independently tested by
the NHS Hospital Infection Research Laboratory in the UK.

Enodis Distribution UK 36
Contact Name: Steve Loughton
Swallow Field Way, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 1DQ, UK
Tel: 020 8561 0433 Fax: 020 8848 0041
E-mail: steve.loughton@enodis.com
Web: www.enodis-distribution.com
Enodis Distribution UK are proud to represent the following Enodis Group world
class brands. Convotherm steam cooking equipment, Convotherm steam
combination and regeneration ovens, Dean & Frymaster fryers and filtering
systems, Garland medium and heavy duty cooking equipment, Lincoln
conveyor ovens and Merrychef microwaves and hot air combination ovens.
Fagor Industrial UK Ltd 13
Contact Name: Pauline Edwards
Unit 6, Edenbridge Trading Centre, Hever Road, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5EA
Tel: 01732 860360 Fax: 01732 868357
E-mail: p.edwards@fagoruk.com
Web: www.fagorindustrial.com
Fagor Industrial UK Ltd has a wealth of experience with all institutional catering
needs. We offer a full Project Management Program, from Kitchen design
through to Installation and Service Back-up/Support. We manufacture a wide
range of Cooking, Warewashing and Refrigeration Equipment, to suit all
Catering Requirements/Budgets.
Fenside Fine Foods 5
Contact Name: Roy McKenna
Unit 7 Ellesmere Business Park, Swingbridge Road, Grantham, Lincs NG31 7XT
Tel: 01280 841870 or 01280 709814
Fax: 01280 841870
E-mail: roymckenna@glowinternet.net
Fenside Fine Foods is the new division of Fenside Bakeries Ltd. Formed to
develop and provide Cakes and other snack products with a service to meet
the needs of Hospital Caterers as part of the Better Hospital Food initiative
together with a range of products for staff and visitor restaurants.
Fermod Ltd 97
Contact Name: David F Stubbs
Unit 2, Blackburn Trading Estate, Northumberland Close, Stanwell,
Middlesex TW19 7LN, UK
Tel: 01784 248376 Fax: 01784 257285
E-mail: sales@fermod.co.uk
Web: www.fermod.com
Exhibiting the Fermostock range of modular shelving. The easy clean frame
and dishwasher safe inserts ensure thorough cleaning. Fermostock is the only
shelving system to hold the ‘Hygiene Merit Certificate’ awarded by the Royal
Institute of Hygiene.
Foster Refrigerator 30
Contact Name: Vim Hariani / Sally Harper
Oldmedow Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4JU, England
Tel: 01553 691122 Fax: 01553 691447
E-mail: sally.harper@foster-uk.com
Web: www.fosterrefrigerator.co.uk
Foster Refrigerator manufacture refrigeration equipment for the catering
industry, whether large or small. Products include upright Cabinets,
Counters, Roll-ins, Blast Chillers and Freezers, Coldrooms and much more.
Our equipment carries the ISO 9001 standard, which is your assurance of
consistent quality.
Four Square Division of Mars 12
Contact Name: Lesley Keever
Armstrong Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 8NU
Tel: 0800 10 40 40 - Sales Enquiries
0870 600 20 30 - Customer Service
01256 471500 - Switchboard
E-mail: fsqinfo@eu.effem.com
Web: www.foursquare.co.uk, www.klix.com, www.flavia.net
The Mars group of companies welcomes you to stand number 12.
Whilst displaying a range of snack and beverage vending machines our in
house chef will be tempting your taste buds. Our drinks division will be
exhibiting their brand new, recently launched, addition to the KLIX ® range.
Franks Ice Cream Ltd 74
Contact Name: Maria Dallavalle
Capel Hendra Industrial Estate, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire SA18 3SJ
Tel: 01269 832400 Fax: 01269 832401
E-mail: dellavalle@msn.com
Web: www.franks-icecream.co.uk
Franks are the new official approved supplier of ice cream and frozen
desserts to the NHS. Judged as Europe and Britain’s best tasting ice cream,
we welcome you to come and sample our delicious range of new flavours
especially formulated for Hospitals.
Fresenius Kabi Ltd 93
Contact Name: David Wilson
Hampton Court, Tudor Road, Manor Park, Runcorn, Chesire WA7 1UF
Tel: 01928 594200 Fax: 01928 571065
E-mail: enquiries@fresenius-kabi.com
Web: www.fresenius-kabi.com
As the worldwide market leader in food thickeners, the Thick & Easy portfolio
of products continues to set new standards in dysphagia. Its range of products
and services are continually evolving to meet the demands of both patients and
carers. This year’s HCA exhibition will include the now Thick and Easy Dairy
product - a pre thickened, milk drink to compliment its new renowned range of
powders and juice products. Visit us on stand 93.
HOSPITAL CATERER 75

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Gibsons 78
Contact Name: John D Lennox
Gibsons, Gibsons Court, Portside South, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 3DZ
Tel: 0151 357 7000 Fax: 0151 355 6664
E-mail: sales@gibsons-sandwiches.co.uk
Gibsons are one of the UK’s largest sandwich manufacturers supplying a
wide selection of food on the move products. We are the exclusive producers
of Weight Watchers sandwiches, wraps, rolls and salads. To give your
customers and your sales a healthy look, come and ask about our special
FREE sandwich offer.
Glaxo Smithkline 14
Contact Name: Kate Roberts
GlaxoSmithkline, Nutritional Healthcare, 980 Great West Road, Brentford,
Middlesex TW8 9BD, UK
Tel: 020 8047 3111 Fax: 020 8047 0631
E-mail: kate.s.roberts@gsk.com,
Web: www.gsk.com
GlaxoSmithkline (GSK) supply brand-leading drinks. Lucozade Energy, Sport
and Hydroactive lead in the sports and energy categories while Ribena is the
UK’s No 1 One Shot still drink. Furthermore, Horlicks the hot milky drink is a
national favourite. Look out for GSK’s exciting brand plans and equipment
innovation for 2004.
GVS Ltd 6
Contact Name: Patrick Gibney
Plough Road, Smallfield, Horley, Surrey RH6 9JW
Tel: 01342 843939 Fax: 01342 843779
E-mail: sales@generalvending.co.uk
Web: www.generalvending.co.uk
GVS are the UK’s largest independent suppliers of vending machines and
associated products and services. Our range includes hot and cold beverage,
snack, can and bottle, refrigerated and frozen food. GVS hold exclusively the
OGC buying solutions contract A123800 for the provision of vending machines
to the public sector.
GWP Group of Companies 23
Contact Name: Tony Huddleston
GWP Group of Companies, Ainleys Industrial Estate,
Elland, West Yorkshire HX5 9JP
Tel: 01422 379214/07889732844
Fax: 01422 310060
E-mail: tony.Huddleston@btinternet.com
GWP will be launching a new Health Care range of products at the HCA
Conference, this range is based on a totally natural biocide Citrox, its ability to
kill an extremely wide range of pathogens including MRSA is enormous also it
is totally safe in use. Come and talk to us and be amazed at what the Citrox
range of products can do for you.
76
HOSPITAL CATERER
Harry Mason (UK) Ltd 11a
Contact Name: Mubeen Mitha
Lords House, 665 North Circular Road, London NW2 7AX
Tel: 020 8453 7300 Fax: 020 8830 7137
E-mail: mubeen@harry-mason.com
At Harry Mason a sandwich is never just a sandwich...
We only use the finest ingredients from approved suppliers in our state-of-theart
factory, enabling us to combine the quality of a delicatessen with the
capability of a major producer. Nominated supplier include NHS, Public Sector,
Airlines, Contract Caterers and many more...
Hobart UK 50
Contact Name: Roger Kellow
Hobart House, 51 The Bourne, Southgate, London N14 6RT
Tel: 020 8920 2800 Fax: 020 8920 2822
E-mail: roger.kellow@hobartuk.com
Web: www.hobartuk.com
Hobart, the world’s largest industrial catering equipment manufacturer, has
been trading for over 100 years and is a market leader in its field. Hobart
offers the very best in Warewashing, Food Preparation, Beverage and
Cooking Equipment along with Service Solutions. Please contact Hobart UK
on 07002 101101 for further details.
Hospital Metalcraft Ltd 45
Contact Name: Claire Snook
Blandford Heights, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 7TG
Tel: 01258 451338 Fax: 01258 455056
E-mail: claire.snook@bristolmaid.com
Web: www.bristolmaid.com
Having manufactured the Bristol Maid range for over 50 years, we are pleased
to include products from Metro Healthcare (racking/polymer carts), UGroup
(janitorial), Hille (seating) to our portfolio.
• Stainless steel trolleys • Racking • Pedal bins
• Tray racks • Polymer carts • Sack holders
• Seating
In House, The Hygiene Management Co Ltd 37
Contact Name: Hazel Bourne
4 Woodlands Glade, Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 1JZ
Tel: 01494 675476 Fax: 01494 673048
E-mail: enquiries@inhouse-hygiene.co.uk Web: www.inhouse-hygiene.co.uk
In House, The Hygiene Management Co Ltd works with Hospital Caterers to
ensure high food hygiene standards. Our BIOSCANNING hygiene monitoring
service gives you:
• Reduced cross contamination risks
• Independent verification of cleaning standards
• Evidence for Controls Assurance, EHOs etc
Contact us on 01494 675476 or find out more at www.inhouse-hygiene.co.uk.
Visit us at stand 37.

Johnson Diversey 49
Contact Name: John Rogers
Weston Favell Centre, Northampton NN3 8PD
Tel: 01604 405311 Fax: 01604 406809
E-mail: customerservice.uk@johnsondiversey.com
Web: www.johnsondiversey.com
JohnsonDiversey are Europe’s largest provider of hygiene systems and
products to the catering industry. We believe in working together with our
customers to maintain the highest standards of food hygiene and safety and to
generate innovative solutions to the problems that they encounter in an
increasingly complex operating environment.
Juiceworks Ltd 31
Contact Name: Carmel Bonner
Sonex House, Sharston Road, Sharston Industrial Estate, Manchester M22 4RX
Tel: 0161 945 8887 Fax: 0161 945 8886
E-mail: carmel@juiceworks.ltd.uk
100% pure juice portions, smoothies & jellies available in Chilled or Ambient
formats. Cup sizes range from 85ml - 200ml. Chilled juices are manufactured
daily, offering maximum nutritional benefit to the consumer & delivered directly
to your door by Juiceworks Logistics. Ambient juice portions are available from
NHS Logistics from 01 April.
Kellogg’s Foodservice Solutions 73a
Contact Name: Sue Parkinson
The Kellogg Building, Talbot Road, Manchester MI6 0PU
Tel: 0161 869 5079 Fax: 0161 869 2880
E-mail: sue.parkinson@kellogg.com
Kellogg’s offers 8 out of the top 10 selling cereals in Food Service (AC Nielsen
2003) in a range of formats to suit all catering needs. From Sachet Pak for big
brand impact with perfect portion control, to Bag and Bulk Pack for excellent
value for money in high volume environments.
Kitchequip.co.uk 68
Contact Name: Neil Johnson
Carpa House, Blowick Business Park, Crowland Street,
Southport, Merseyside PR9 7SJ
Tel: 01704 535577 Fax: 01704 501999
E-mail: sales@kitchequip.co.uk
Web: www.kitchequip.co.uk
Kitchequip.co.uk - Catering for Caterers!
We are a national catering equipment distributor selling expertise, not just
kitchen equipment. We can supply anything from a teaspoon through to a
complete kitchen, providing total solutions, expert advice and an excellent
service. The one-stop-shop for all your catering requirements.
Kraft Foods UK Ltd 3
Contact Name: Henry Currie
St Georges House, Cheltenham GL50 3AE, England
Tel: 01242 236101 (Ext 4852)
E-mail: hcurrie@krafteurope.com
Web: www.kraftafh.co.uk
Kraft Foods are committed to providing the very best quality and range of
drinks for your patients, visitors and staff. Whether it’s the Gemini Ward Trolley
for patients, the Impress Duo for visitors or Maxwell House tins for staff you
can be sure we have a product for every location.
Lansdowne Publishing 66
Contact Name: Adrian Wright
Lansdowne Publishing, 11-12 School House, Trafford Park Village,
Manchester M17 1DZ
Tel: 0161 872 6667 Fax: 0161 872 6668
E-mail: hca@lansdownepublishing.com Web: www.lansdownepublishing.com
Lansdowne Publishing work in partnership with the Hospital Caterers
Association assisting with the publishing of the Hospital Caterer, the HCA
Wallplanner and management of the HCA web site. Our Company works for
Associations, Institutes and Public Organisations delivering bespoke services
covering: Publishing, Design and Print, Web Design, Database Management,
Administration, Editorial Services, Advertising Sales, Marketing, Conference
Management, Public Relations, Consultancy.
Major International Ltd 21a
Contact Name: Michael Scott
Denington Road, Denington Estate, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 2QJ
Tel: 01933 440711 Fax: 01933 274168
E-mail: enquiries@majorint.com
Web: www.majorint.com
Major will be giving demonstrations with its reduced salt Stock Base range,
with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and free from HVP, GMO’s
and added MSG; new Demi-Glace, also with no GM ingredients, no added
MSG and no artificial additives, and the Mari-Base marinade range. Visit the
stand to taste them for yourself.
Manor Bakeries Ltd 11
Contact Name: Carol Dabson
Minton Place, Victoria Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1EG
Tel: 01753 840401 Fax: 01753 832437
E-mail: carol.dabson@manor-bakeries.co.uk
Come and visit us at the Manor Bakeries stand to see and taste what’s new
from Mr Kipling and Cadbury Cakes. Our range of cakes is ideal for both staff
and visitor feeding.
HOSPITAL CATERER 77

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
McCain Foods GB 79
Contact Name: Peter Elflain
Havers Hill, Scarborough. North Yorkshire YO11 3BS
Tel: 01723 584141 Fax: 01723 580221
E-mail: foodservice@mcain.co.uk
McCain Foodservice are experts in developing products that not only taste
great but that provide convenience and versatility with no compromise on
quality. McCain offer a wide range of products suitable for the regeneration
cooking method in Hospitals. Products that are popular with Hospital Caterers
include: Savoury Herb Rice, Hash Brown Nuggets and Roast Potatoes.
Meat & Livestock Commission 112
Contact Name: Tony Goodger
44 Winterhill House, Snowdon Drive, Milton Keynes MK6 1AX
Tel: 01908 844114 Fax: 01908 671722
E-mail: tony_goodger@mlc.org.uk
Web: www.britishmeatfoodservice.com
www.meatandhealth.com
British Meat Foodservice are proud to be HCIMA Business Affiliates, Corporate
Patrons of the British Institute of Innkeeping, Partners with the Food
Developers Association, LACA and ASSIST and supporters of the HCA, TUCO
and the National Association of Care Catering.
Megabyte Ltd 48
Contact Name: Jill Stevenson
Megabyte House, Rooley Lane, Dudley Hill, Bradford BD4 7SQ, England
Tel: 01274 688541 Fax: 01274 686718
E-mail: jill.stevenson@megabyte.co.uk
Web: www.megabyte.co.uk
Megabyte and Patientline are proud to demonstrate the interface between
Manna and their bedside information system. The system provides Menu
information and a fast, accurate meal ordering system. This interactive system
will also enable Caterers and Dietitians to assess and monitor a Patient’s
nutritional intake at a glance, thus providing better care.
Metos Ltd 17
Contact Name: Stephen Cooper
8 Martinfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 1HG, UK
Tel: 01707 393399 Fax: 01707 393311
E-mail: ukmetos@metos.com
Metos - the new force in warewashing. A complete range of machines from
counter top to flight machines including granule pot washers. Our project design
department can design a solution for any handling system, large or small.
78
HOSPITAL CATERER
Nestle UK 18
Contact Name: Karine Grivet
Nestle UK, St George’s House, Croydon, Surrey CR9 1NR
Tel: 0800 742 842
E-mail: karine.grivet@uk.nestle.com
Web: www.nestle.co.uk
Nestle UK is an expert partner for healthcare operators. Maggi Instant Soups
and Cold Mix Mashed Potato take minutes to make - at ward level if required.
Also on stand will be Build-up products for those with swallowing difficulties,
the customised Nescafé trolley, and vended waters and snacks solutions.
N H Case Ltd 22
Contact Name: Phill White
Bennetts Field, Wincanton, Somerset BA9 9DS
Tel: 07971 160257 Fax: 01963 34446
E-mail: phill.white@nhcase.com
Web: www.nhcase.com
N H Case Ltd invite you to meet Phill White and Julie Moore on Stand 22.
Here you will be able to enter our draw for a hamper of fine food including
champagne and smoked salmon. We welcome you to talk shop or just relax
and chat. See you there.
NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency 75
Contact Name: Steve Close
Foxbridge Way, Normanton, West Yorkshire WF6 1TL, England
Tel: 01924 328701 Fax: 01924 328744
E-mail: steve.close@pasa.nhs.uk
Web: www.pasa.nhs.uk
NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency are in the process of introducing a new
design of crockery. To conclude the process the short-listed designs will be
displayed on the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency stand. All attendees to
the Conference will be invited to vote on their preferred design.
Nutri Pack UK Ltd 16
Contact Name: Rob Allen
12 Liberty Way, Attleborough Fields Industrial Estate, Nuneaton CV11 6R2
Tel: 02476 351300 Fax: 02476 349250
E-mail: r.allen@nutripack.co.uk
Web: www.nutripack.co.uk
Manufacturers of disposable food containers for hot and cold food, supplied
with an extensive range of sealing machines.

OGCbuying.solutions 43
Contact Name: Fay Johnson
5th Floor, Royal Liver Building, Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1PE, England
Tel: 0151 672 2315 Fax: 0151 672 2384
E-mail: fay.johnson@ogcbs.gsi.gov.uk Web: www.ogcbuyingsolutions.gov.uk
OGCbuying.solutions goods and services are under four key areas:
IT and Telecommunications - broadband, cabling, LAN’s, consultancy, hardware,
Internet/Intranet, maintenance, managed solutions, software, voice/video/mobile
paging services, WAN’s.
Utilities - electricity, gas, liquid fuels, water, benchmarking.
Buildings and Contents - hardware/buildings, furniture/furnishings, office
equipment, health/hygiene.
Service and Support Arrangements - legal, financial, HR, property/construction,
management, business consultancy, temporary personnel, disaster recovery
services, training, record, data/document management.
Oldfields Ltd 91
Contact Name: John Sibbald - Commercial Director
ProLogis Park, Twelvetrees Crescent, London E3 3JG
Tel: 020 7536 8003 Fax: 020 7536 0790
E-mail: jsibbald@oldfieldsonline.com
Oldfields are the premier supplier of handmade sandwiches in the UK, producing
over 550,000 sandwiches per week in our new purpose built £16 million factory.
Our range includes Healthy Options, Cranks Vegetarian, Earl of Sandwich,
Antony Worrall Thompson, panninis, baps and rolls together with a tailor made
logistics service.
P&G Professional 101
Contact Name: Rachel Dingwall
P&G Professional, The Heights, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0XP
Tel: 0800 716854 Fax: 01932 896611
E-mail: see website
Web: www.pgprof.com
P&G Professional - Helping create the right Patient/Visitor experience:
Cleaning is essential in creating the right healthcare environment, and it’s now
easier to deliver. Partnering with NHS PASA we have created superior cleaning
solutions, using brands like Professional Flash and Fairy at NHS Contract
prices, to get the results you need.
Patientline UK Ltd 106
Contact Name: Irene Schwehla
183-187 Bath Road, Slough SL1 4AA
Tel: 0845 414 6018 Fax: 0845 414 6014
E-mail: Irene.schwehla@patientline.co.uk
Web:www.patientline.co.uk
Following in-depth research and discussions with Trusts, the major suppliers of
Hospital Catering software and patients themselves, Patientline has developed
a fully-electronic catering system, enabling patients to view menus and order
their meals through bedside units. The system also aims to meet known NHS
objectives, while bringing significant savings to the Trust.
Pritchitts 7
Contact Name: Tony Larsen, UK Field Sales Manager
Pritchitts - A Lakeland Dairies Company, Lakeland Dairy Sales Ltd,
Killeshandra, Co Cavan, Republic of Ireland
Tel: 01670 714590 Fax: 01670 714590
E-mail: alarsen@pritchitt.com
Web: www.Prichitt.com
Milk products have always been essential ingredients for Caterers. Pritchitts,
leaders in UHT dairy manufacturing and spray dried milk powders are the
contractual supplier to NHS Logistics and the National Health Services
throughout the United Kingdom. Our product portfolio includes Tea & Coffee
Whiteners, UHT Creams and Low Salt Stocks.
Rational UK 32
Contact Name: Andrew Jones
Unit 3-4, Titan Court, Laporte Way, Portenway Business Park,
Luton, Bedfordshire LU4 8EF
Tel: 01582 480388 Fax: 01582 485001
E-mail: sales@rational-uk.co.uk Web: www.rational-uk.com
Rational is the world leader in combi cooker technology. It’s new +LT feature
cooks meat overnight, slowly and under control. It runs the oven automatically,
with no supervision, delivering the most succulent results and reducing
shrinkage. Meanwhile CombiGrill, a specially designed gastronorm grid
transfers heat effectively, scorching the food and delivering an appetising
appearance and taste.
RHM Foodservice Ltd 95
Worton Grange, Reading, Berks RG2 0QW
Tel: 0118 987 5383 Fax: 0118 923 2369
Robot Coupe (UK) Ltd 72
Contact Name: David Hougham
Unit 2, Fleming Way, Isleworth, Middlesex TW7 6EU
Tel: 020 8232 1800 Fax: 020 8568 4966
E-mail: sales@robotcoupe.co.uk
Web: www.robotcoupe.co.uk
Robot Coupe (UK) Ltd is the world’s leading food preparation equipment
manufacturer. Together with Fresenius Kabi, Robot Coupe have launched the
Dining With Dignity campaign, creating a revolutionary new way of preparing
healthy, appetising pureed food without deriving it of vitamins, colour and
flavour. Almost any food can be pureed, remoulded and presented in an
attractive way.
HOSPITAL CATERER 79

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Rubbermaid Commercial Products 67
Contact Name: Andrew Hodgson
1st Floor 900 Pavilion Drive, Northampton Business Park, Brackmills,
Northants NN4 7RG
Tel: 01604 875555 Fax: 01604 875802
Web: www.rubbermaid-europe.com
Rubbermaid Commercial Products offers a comprehensive portfolio of waste
management, foodservice, cleaning, transportation and safety products for
today’s commercial environment. We look forward to seeing you at stand 67,
where we will be showing our core range (Step-on containers, Foodboxes,
Mopping equipment etc) as well as new innovations in safety, catering
and transportation.
S & L Catering Ltd 80
Contact Name: John Varey
Units N-P, Shaw Business Park, Silver Street, Huddersfield HD5 9AF
Tel: 01484 304401 Fax: 01484 304402
E-mail: sandlsales@aol.com
Web: www.slcatering.com
Reduced Salt Patient Range, Halal Sandwiches, Flat Pack Cubes, Delifresco,
Northern Bites, Le Pannini, Hand Formed Continental Breads, Calorie
Conscious, Petite Pain Platters, Salads, Pizzas, Tortilla Wraps, Toastie Packs,
Pastas, Micro-waveable Meals, Micro-waveable Ciabattas -
For more information on these and our National Distribution visit the
S & L Catering Stand.
Single Source Ltd 39
Contact Name: Elly Morgan
Stafford Park 6, Telford, Shropshire TF3 3AT, UK
Tel: 01952 234100 Fax: 01952 234111
E-mail: elynor.morgan@singlesourceportions.com
Web: www.singlesourceportions.com
Splenda ® ‚ Low Calorie Sweetener is available in a choice of catering packs
(1x1kg or 2x500g drums), making it ideal for use in meal preparation.
Also available is LoSalt, the low sodium salt alternative, which is available in
both individual sachets and a 3kg drum for catering use.
Stirling Catering Equipment 94
Contact Name: Don Gordon
19 Main Street, Doune, Perthshire FK16 6BJ, Scotland
Tel: 01786 841392 Fax: 01786 842345
E-mail: sales@stircat.fsnet.co.uk
Stirling Catering Equipment supply all the NHS Trusts in Scotland. Clenaware,
manufacturers of high quality Warewash Solutions, recently won the contract to
supply the new Telford Hospital. ISECO are major manufacturers of Food
Delivery Systems and through Stirling Catering Equipment have been specified
at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. A full turnkey package is available.
80
HOSPITAL CATERER
Supply Direct Ltd 71
Contact Name: Damian Bell
4 Cloisters House, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BH
Tel: 020 7622 9119 Fax: 020 7622 0567
E-mail: dbell@supplydirect.com
Web: www.supplydirect.com
Come visit stand 71 where you can see our one-stop internet shop and
catering management system in operation, all for a fixed price per patient
per day - no more than your current food cost.
The American Potato Company Ltd 86
Company Name: David Lawson
Address:7a Howe Street, Edinburgh EH3 6TE, Scotland
Tel: 0131 476 7770 Fax: 0131 476 7776
E-mail: sales@idahoan.co.uk
Cook-chill, frozen or ambient with cold water, Idahoan mashed potato is
revolutionary. No whipping or beating and made from whole Idaho potatoes
on our own farm. Get you standards up and your hassle down and speak to
David or Paul today. Ask about our free one day trial offer and we’ll even cook
them for you!
The British Dietetic Association 65
Contact Name: Helen Davidson
The British Dietetic Association, 5th Floor Charles House,
148/49 Great Charles Street, Birmingham B3 3HT
Tel: 0121 200 8080 Fax: 0121 200 8081
E-mail: info@bda.uk.com Web: www.bda.uk.com
The British Dietetic Association is the professional Association for registered
dietitians, who hold the only legally recognisable graduate qualification in
nutrition and dietetics. Dietitians are experts in interpreting and translating the
science of nutrition into practical dietary advice. For more information see
www.bda.uk.com and our new Weight Wise website at:
www.bdaweightwise.com
The Reynard Group 70
Contact Name: Sue Bloxham
Unit 14, Monkspath Business Park, Solihull, West Midlands, UK
Tel: 0121 745 6817 Fax: 0121 745 6816
E-mail: sbloxham@reynards.com
Web: www.reynards.com
THE REYNARD GROUP provide national distribution of food packaging and
foodservice and catering disposables. This year the Group are showing their
environmentally friendly range of disposables. They are also featuring
TIMESTRIP - a new concept which indicates how long items have been in
a fridge or freezer.

Tillery Valley Foods Ltd 108
Contact Name: Les Darlington
Cwmtillery Industrial Estate, Abertillery, Gwent NP13 1LZ, Wales
Tel: 01495 211555 Fax: 01495 213839
E-mail: les.darlington@tvf-online.co.uk
Web: www.tvf-online.co.uk
Tillery Valley Foods is the leading supplier of chilled and frozen delivered meals
to the healthcare sector. We have an innovative range of solutions to meet
your changing needs and help keep you ahead of the latest Better Hospital
Food initiatives. In addition we can help you to respond to the demands of
sustainability procurement through to encouraging your clients to meet the
5 a day initiative of eating more vegetables and fruit.
Turnstone Colbrook Ltd 110
Contact Name: Belinda MacLachlan
4 Swan Industrial Estate, Gatteridge Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 5DH
Tel: 01295 277577 Fax: 01295 277855
E-mail: sales@turnstone-colbrook.com Web: www.turnstone-colbrook.com
TURNSTONE COLBROOK - SERVING THE HEALTH SECTOR
A comprehensive range of food serveries and equipment for the health sector,
all designed and manufactured in our factories.
• Stainless fabrication for all back-of-house requirements
• The economical “Accolade” range of robust, efficient, heated and chilled units
• Innovative “A La Carte” servery counters for patients, visitors and staff
• Regeneration trolleys
For further information call 01295 277577
United Biscuits Foodservice 98
Hayes Park, Hayes End Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB4 8EE
Tel: 020 8734 5000
Viscount Catering Ltd 36
Contact Name: Katherine Abdy
Provincial Park, Nether Lane, Ecclesfield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S35 9ZX, UK
Tel: 0114 257 0100 Fax: 0114 257 0251
E-mail: kabdy@viscount-catering.co.uk
Web: www.viscount-catering.com
Viscount catering Ltd, part of the Enodis Food Service Group of companies,
manufactures Catering and Refrigeration equipment. Home of well-established
brands including Moorwood Vulcan Medium and Heavy Duty Catering
Equipment, Jackson Water Boilers, Henry Nuttall Frying Ranges and Sadia’s
range of refrigeration, Counters, Serveries and Merchandising Display Cases.
Walkers Snacks Ltd 107
1600 Arlington Business Park, Theale, Reading, Berkshire RG7 4SA
Tel: 0118 930 6666 Fax: 0118 930 8086
Web: www.walkers.co.uk
Yakult UK Ltd 77
Contact Name: Jenny Allaway
12-16 Telford Way, Westway Estate, Acton, London W3 7XS, UK
Tel: 020 8740 2637 Fax: 020 8740 4111
E-mail: jallaway@yakult.co.uk
Web: www.yakult.co.uk
Yakult is helping to raise the awareness of the benefits of probiotics, which
to date have been used in the management of numerous conditions, from
allergies to gastrointestinal problems. Over 150 hospitals already order regular
supplies of Yakult for both patient and clinical usage. Yakult offers full service
and support for NHS customers.
Zenith Beverage Systems Ltd 26
Contact Name: Chris Knight
Unit F Castle Industrial Park, Kiln Road, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2EZ
Tel: 01635 41449 Fax: 01635 521040
E-mail: sales@zenith-systems.com
Zenith Beverage Systems was established in 1986 with the objective of
providing the Hospital sector with a simple, affordable method of providing
in-patients with quality hot drinks. Zenith Beverage System provides a total
Ward Beverage System. This package comprises equipment, ingredients
supply and technical back-up support which includes emergency call-out,
preventative maintenance and equipment audits.
HOSPITAL CATERER 81

Hospital Caterers Association
Conference 2004
Sponsors
Sponsors
3663 First for Foodservice is delighted to be connected
with the Hospital Caterers Association and to be the
proud sponsor of the official Conference water,
Springbourne which is available in 500ml and 1 litre,
PET and glass bottles.
As the Conference badge sponsors, we look forward to
hanging around your necks in the nicest possible way and
to being of service as your first choice foodservice partner.
Paul Whiteley
National Accounts Manager
3663 First for Foodservice
Brakes is proud of its association with the HCA and is
delighted to be official supplier of delegate bags to the
2004 HCA Conference. Our unique understanding of the
healthcare sector enables Brakes to deliver a complete
foodservice solution to Hospital Caterers. Brakes wishes
all delegates a successful and productive Conference.
Nigel Weston
National Account Manager
Brakes
As the official sponsors of the HCA Conference 2004
delegate folders, we are delighted to provide something
useful that you can enjoy at Conference as well as in your
working environment. Chef Martin are committed to
supporting the Better Hospital Food Programme and look
forward to seeing you on their stand No 46.
Chris Greenway
Marketing Director
Chef Martin
82
HOSPITAL CATERER
DBC Foodservice is delighted to be participating in the 2004
HCA Conference. We are the proud sponsor of the fish and
chips evening, and are the official supplier of bacon for the
bacon sandwiches throughout the event. Come and see us
on stand No 73 to see how we can deliver foodservice
excellence together.
Jim Dudley
New Business Development Director
DBC Foodservice
Douwe Egberts is proud to be the coffee sponsor of this
year’s HCA Conference. Delegates will be treated to the high
quality, great tasting liquid roast & ground coffee from the
Cafitesse 700 system. Acclaimed to be “the world’s best
coffee machine”, it boasts all the speed, ease of service,
high reliability & low weekly maintenance busy caterers
require, enabling the healthcare sector to offer staff and
visitors the coffee shop experience.
Mike Daly
Trade Sector Manager
Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems
For those delegates who returned their debate question cards
in time for the prize draw, Hilton Brighton Metropole are
delighted to offer to the winner a complementary two night
stay in a UK Hilton Hotel of your choice. This offer is for a
double or twin room for two people, and will include a full
Hilton Breakfast.
Marc Buxey
Conference and Events Sales Manager
Hilton Brighton Hotels
Merisant UK Ltd is the supplier of the UK’s favourite
low-calorie sweetener - Canderel - and is proud to be
sponsoring the HCA Conference.
Canderel is so versatile it can be used spoon for spoon in
place of sugar for cooking and baking, adding to hot drinks
and sprinkling on fruit and cereals. Canderel uses a unique
combination of ingredients so it tastes just like sugar and
one granular teaspoon contains only 2 calories compared to
16 in sugar! So it is an essential alternative to sugar in the
healthcare sector.
Andrew Ely
UK Sales Manager
Merisant UK Ltd
Pritchitts, the official menu sponsors are delighted to have
the opportunity to support the Hospital Caterers Association.
Pritchitts are dedicated to producing specialist foodservice
products that allow their Hospital Catering customers the
opportunity to produce excellent meals to suit the broad
spectrum of tastes and challenges peculiar to this industry.
Tony Larsen
UK Field Sales Manager
Pritchitt Foods
Sodexho Healthcare, a leading provider of catering and
support services, is delighted to be sponsoring the ‘Your
chance to ask!’ debate at the HCA Conference. Sodexho
Healthcare provides over 45,000 patient meals a day, and
operates and manages 36 services for the NHS. For more
information, visit www.sodexho.co.uk
Iain Anderson
Managing Director
Sodexho Healthcare
Supply Direct have been involved with the HCA for the past
10 years and are delighted to be the official signage
sponsors on this occasion. We would like to wish all the
delegates a very enjoyable Conference and look forward to
speaking to them at our stand No 71.
Damian Bell
Managing Director
Supply Direct

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