HCA and BDA partner to improve hospital catering standards
The Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) and British Dietetic Association (BDA) have signed an agreement to improve hospital catering standards.
Signed by HCA chair Phil Shelley (pictured) and BDA chief executive Andy Burman, the memorandum sets out to foster a closer working relationship between the two organisations.
The associations have agreed to work together to maintain and improve standards across hospital catering and services relating to patient nutrition and patient safety.
They will work to improve campaign outcomes with the ultimate goal to help both associations put the patient first.
It builds on the HCA's ‘Power of 3' campaign which works to secure better collaboration between caterers, nurses and dietitians.
Quarterly meetings have been scheduled between the organisations to help deliver these goals.
Shelley said: "Interagency, association and department collaboration has been at the heart of my chairmanship of the HCA.
"I am delighted to be part of formalising an agreement with our dietitian colleagues to work towards a more inclusive, patient-centred and safe catering service throughout the NHS."
"Our Power of 3 campaign encourages caterers to become bigger than the sum of their parts by working closer in collaboration with other NHS professionals, in particular nurses and dietitians to create a truly holistic and 360 degree approach to nutrition and hydration.
"From caterers' menus and ingredients, to dietitians' safe-guarding of nutritional content, to the final ward end delivery supported via the nursing teams, working together we can deliver excellence to each and every patient."
Burman added: "Collaboration with our partners is vital to the work of the BDA, and I am very pleased to have signed the memorandum.
"This agreement builds on the positive working relationship that already exists between the BDA and HCA and will ensure we can work together more closely to ensure that patients receive the best possible nutrition when in hospital."
The HCA has 15 branches nationally and a membership of over 400 members.
Founded in 1936, the BDA is the professional association and trade union for dietitians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It has more than 8,500 members.
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