Opening of the 2026 Forum

President Hospital Caterers Association and Chris Bavin, Forum Facilitator

The scene will be set for the coming two days of Forum sessions before handing over to our Forum Facilitator, Chris Bavin

HCA Updates

Iain Robertson, National Chair, Hospital Caterers Association

Iain will update delegates on the work and objectives of the HCA as he comes to the end of his period as National Chair.

Eat Well for Less - Chris Bavin

2026 Forum Facilitator Chris Bavin is known for his work on TV helping people to eat more healthily on a budget.  Chris will demo one of his dishes whilst he chat about his career, his passion for food and what he can do to help improve the nations health.

TBC

Food Safety Updates and panel

Tina Potter - FSA, Fiona Sinclair - Inspectrum, Nadim & Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE - Natasha's Allergy Research Foundation

The challenge of providing a safe service for NHS customers gets increasingly difficult, particularly as we learn more about food safety and allergens.  An esteemed panel will initially update delegates on key legislation, great practice and R&D, before taking questions and insight from the audience

Managing and Supporting Mental Health Issues

Charlie Hodson and Camilla Woods, Hospitality Action

As a high profile chef Charlie Hodson seemed to have it all, the fame, the lifestyle and the adulation.  However, a number of attempts to take his own life revealed that his mental health was not in a great place.  Charlie, a trustee of Hospitality Action will share his story before his colleague Camilla talks to delegates about the support available form HA for both themselves and their staff.

Working together as an industry

Anita Brown, PSC Alliance Chair

A collective voice carries more weight than an individual one and with so many key issues being similar across public sector catering, the PSC Alliance has been working with the HCA and other industry associations for a number of years to help increase representation and profile.  Anita will update HCA delegates on the collaborations.

HCA Awards presentations & President's Dinner

Hosted by Chris Bavin

Dress code: Black tie

Wednesday 15 April 2026

Forum sessions begin - Forum Facilitator, Chris Bavin

Service Model debate 

CPU solution - Margaret Valenti

Cook Fresh - Yeovil - Simply Serve - Mathieu Eke

Commercial - Cuisine Centre - Greg Harrison

NHS trusts face a number of options when deciding on how best to provide their catering service.  During this session we will hear to pro's and con's for different models and how a mixed solution can be the best answer, before opening up to a panel discussion and Q&A.

Retail & Vending

Ashford & St Peters NHS Trust - Raouf Mansour and Eimear Jordan

The retail and vending solutions at Ashford & St Peter's NHS Foundation Trust have received many accolades and awards.  The team behind their success will share a case study on how it has been achieved and why it is has received such recognition.

AI - How hospital Catering should prepare for the Next Digital Revolution

Paul Jenkins - Associate Director of Facilities, Royal United Hospitals Bath

Artificial Intelligence is more than a buzzword, it is a reality that impacts on our every day work and home life.  We all need to prepare for it to become increasingly important to what we do and this session will explore how it is now and what it might mean in the near future for a hospital catering service.

The importance of Supporting the Catering Service - A CEO's perspective

Joe Harrison CBE, CEO, Milton Keynes University Hospital

A supportive senior management team is essential to a successful hospital catering service.  Milton Keynes patients benefit from a service that is central to how the hospital operates, CEO Joe Harrison will share his passion for the catering team and why he sees it as so vital.

Lunch and exhibition viewing 

The Value and Challenges of British sourcing

NHS England in conjunction with DEFRA are conducting research into the penetration of British produce across England's NHS trusts.  They are also looking at how the penetration reflects on higher environmental standards.  This study is a first of its kind and a panel of sector specialists will debate its findings and the challenges that lie ahead.

Followed by Panel discussion

Chaired by David Foad, Group Editor, Public Sector Catering

Ian Stone, apetito

Caron Longden, Soil Association 

Carrie Howes, RD Johns

Marcel Dueren, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Keynote motivational session - Aaron Phipps

At 15, Meningitis C and sepsis led to the amputation of both of Aaron's legs below the knee and most fingers. Demonstrating incredible resilience, he recovered and became the first disabled person to climb Kilimanjaro without assistance. His athletic journey reached its peak at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.  Aaron will share his inspiring story with forum delegates.

Branch dinner drinks reception

Followed by dinner and entertainment at 19.30