The third edition of the Healthcare Chef’s Knowledge is on its way, and Entegra is delighted to be co-sponsoring it.

Produced by The Chefs’ Forum in partnership with NHS England, the publication contains more than 100 NHS-approved recipes and showcases the latest developments in patient, staff and visitor catering across the NHS.

Our involvement has a clear connection to our role as the Group Purchasing Organisation (GPO) delivering the Government Commercial Agency’s (GCA) Buying Better Food and Drink framework. Through the framework, NHS organisations can access procurement expertise, market insight and operational support to help turn food procurement priorities into practical action.

Recipes, ideas and experience from across the NHS

Beyond its extensive recipe collection, the Healthcare Chef’s Knowledge draws on contributions from chefs, dietitians and industry specialists, bringing different perspectives and experience together in one place.

This breadth is particularly valuable as catering teams navigate changing food markets, pressure on budgets and ambitious sustainability objectives, while continuing to meet the nutritional needs and expectations of patients, staff and visitors.

The third edition will launch at Westminster Kingsway College on 4 September. Karen Beech, Commercial Lead – Food Category at GCA, will join healthcare chefs, dietitians and industry stakeholders at the event and take part in a panel discussion covering some of the key issues facing healthcare catering today.

Our contribution: looking at seasonality differently

Entegra’s contribution to the section Using Seasonality to Reduce Food Waste draws on the market insight and procurement expertise we provide to NHS organisations through the framework.

Chefs already understand seasonality from a menu perspective. Our feature adds another dimension by looking at it through a procurement lens.

Availability, quality and market conditions change as products move in and out of season. Knowing what’s coming gives catering teams more options: making greater use of produce when supply is strong, reviewing ingredients before availability tightens or identifying alternatives before changing market conditions create problems for menus or budgets.

Earlier visibility can also bring purchasing and menu planning closer together, creating more opportunities to use what’s available effectively and avoid unnecessary waste. Planning ahead can help teams maintain the quality and consistency of the food they serve, keeping patient needs at the heart of purchasing decisions.

From wider priorities to practical action

Seasonality is just one example of the wider procurement and operational support available to NHS organisations through the Buying Better Food and Drink framework.

NHS Trusts are working towards shared national priorities, but where individual organisations need to focus their efforts will vary. One Trust may be looking to reduce food miles through a more local supply chain; another may want to increase opportunities for SMEs, reduce food waste, improve sustainability or achieve greater value and transparency from food spend.

The framework provides a compliant and flexible route to market. Entegra, as the GPO delivering it, works with Trusts to understand what they need to achieve and recommends procurement solutions designed to help them make measurable progress.

By starting with the outcome, procurement expertise, market intelligence and operational knowledge can be applied to finding a practical route towards it.

Sharing expertise with the healthcare catering community

Co-sponsoring the Healthcare Chef’s Knowledge gives Entegra an opportunity to share some of the expertise we provide through the framework with the wider healthcare catering community.

Our contribution on seasonality sits alongside recipes, ideas and expertise from across healthcare catering, creating a resource that reflects the innovation taking place across the NHS and some of the challenges the sector is working to address.

We’re looking forward to being part of the conversation at the launch and seeing the publication’s recipes and ideas put to use by healthcare catering teams.

To find out more about the Government Commercial Agency’s Buying Better Food and Drink framework and the procurement support available to NHS organisations through Entegra as the GPO delivering the framework, visit EntegraPS.uk/ukgca.