Overview
The IHHC has a commitment to provide members and associates with ongoing educational and information updates via a range of relevant topics from local and international sources.
National Seminars— A Local and International Flavor!
Whilst on a recent visit to England, a number of IHHC Board Members visited the Haringey Community Meals Service , a Drop In Centre and a Care Home within the London Borough. The service acknowledged strong links with the National Health Service (NHS) to provide a more holistic care approach. The extreme climate and increasing trend of elderly citizens living alone underpinned the need for a more flexible approach to both meal provision, meal availability and general patient care plans.
The multifaceted community service demonstrated values of service, integrity, improvement and passion via strong community relationships and regular customer feedback. The parallels of NHS and Australian Health System with evolving early discharge programs, ongoing follow-up with aged recipients suffering from a range of age related illnesses and provision of culturally nutritious meals assists with the circle of care.
The passion and commitment to the meals service will be shared Era Varellas, Contract Manager, Haringey Community Meals and Neel Radia, the South East Chair of the National Association of Care Catering who have kindly agreed to make the trek ’down under’!
Statewide Breaking News
Each state will present speakers to cover topics that are considered ’breaking news’ to ensure members are kept abreast of the latest trends, information and available standards.
International Speakers
Neel Radia, South East Regional Chair for the National Association of Care Caterers (NACC)
This is Neel’s 3rd year as the South East Regional Chair and as part of his role provides a forum for debate amongst his membership around catering in the care sector enabling members to facilitate the exchange of information, experience and expertise. Other associations Neel is involved in include, The Institute of Hospitality (IOH) and Hospital Caterers Association (HCA). Neel has extensive knowledge around the Ethnic meal market in the UK where he works for Raj Foods who manufacture meals for the health and care sector.
Era Varellas, Contract Manager for Catering in the London Borough of Haringey
Era has spent a lifetime in the catering world and for the past 26 years has worked in public sector catering. Her passion to ensure that the most vulnerable people have access to a daily hot meal has seen her working in Haringey Council’s Education and Social Services Departments in a number of posts including operations and contract management of school meals, staff catering and latterly Community Meals. She is an active member of the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) and was chair of the South East region between 2004 and 2007.