On behalf of the British Dietetic Association, I would like to provide our support for the Good Practice Guide. The BDA has worked closely with the HCA on a range of projects which aim to improve nutritional care at ward level. As lead partners in the Council of Europe Alliance UK, the BDA is pleased to be working directly with the HCA and other professional bodies in moving towards full implementation of the Council of Europe Resolution on Food Service and Nutritional Care.
We believe the Good Practice Guide provides hospital and ward-based staff with clear guidance on best practice in this important area of services. This toolkit provides a useful step in helping all disciplines move forward and enhance this critical aspect of clinical treatment and we would encourage our members to utilise it locally in hospitals throughout the UK.
Helen Davidson
Honorary Chairman, The British Dietetic Association
The most important part of a patient’s day – and I speak from a great deal of personal experience – are mealtimes.
They help to cut the day into manageable hours so they always have something to look forward to (as well as their visitors of course).
If all hospitals in Britain ran their food service for their patients according to this Good Practice Guide, they would be doing more than some of them realise to ensure their patients’ wellbeing.
Alison Kitson
Royal College of Nursing
With 1:3 older patients already malnourished or at risk of malnutrition on admission to hospitals, good nutritional care is vital. Food and beverage services play a key role in this and those responsible are indispensable members of the multidisciplinary team that work together to prevent malnutrition.
The Malnutrition Task Force has no hesitation in endorsing this new guide from the HCA which will be of practical help to those responsible for providing food and beverages and for ensuring a positive dining experience for patients in hospitals.
Dianne Jeffrey CBE DL
Chairman, Malnutrition Task Force
The most important part of a patient’s day – and I speak from a great deal of personal experience – are meal times.
They help to cut the day into manageable hours so they always have something to look forward to (as well as their visitors of course).
If all hospitals in Britain ran their food service for their patients according to this Good Practice Guide, they would be doing more than some of them realise to ensure their patients’ wellbeing.
Katherine Murphy
Chief Executive, The Patients Association
The revised Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) Good Practice Guide is a valuable resource for all members of the healthcare team and should be widely shared with those involved in the provision and delivery of meals and meal services to our patients. The principles set out in the Good Practice Guide provide a framework which supports the delivery of good, effective and safe nutrition and hydration to the patient in our care – implementation of these principles is critical in demonstrating that catering services are patient focused. However, hospital caterers cannot do this alone and organisations must ensure that there are systems in place, and that those systems are truly working, to support the delivery of the Good Practice Guide. The HCA are to be congratulated on the revision of this document and I wish you great success in taking this forward in the future to make a real difference to our patients.
Caroline Lecko
Patient Safety Lead, NHS Commissioning Board
