Event Timings

8.00 am	Arrival, Refreshments and Networking
8.45 am	Seated Breakfast
10.00 am	Overview of the Healthcare Sector
10.15 am	Panel discussion with audience Q&A
11.15 am	Refreshments and Networking
12.00 noon	Guests Depart

The Event

Our speakers confirmed to date are:-

Philip Shelley, Senior Operational & Policy Manager – Soft FM, National Lead for Food, NHS England 

Rob Jepson, CEO Health and Care UK & Ireland, Sodexo

Donna Brown - Managing Director, Public Sector Strategic Partnerships, ISS

Saachi Avis, Head of Dietetics (Healthcare), Compass UK&I

At this event, guests in attendance will experience the following:-

Inspiring insight:  the event will begin with an inspirational session looking at the trends within healthcare catering

Panel Discussion ‘The Importance of Healthcare Catering’: The healthcare sector is constantly working to improve catering quality for patients, staff, and visitors nationwide within healthcare facilities.  Our expert panel of speakers will explore how food quality, nutrition, service delivery, innovation, challenges and opportunities and much more are impacting the healthcare catering sector

Seated Breakfast:  Guests will enjoy a Continental and Hot Breakfast within the Sofitel’s Westminster Suite.

Plus there will also be plenty of opportunities to network with customers and industry colleagues.

Tickets are strictly limited to 100 guests so book early to avoid disappointment.

Meet Our Speakers

Philip Shelley, Senior Operational & Policy Manager – Soft FM, National Lead for Food, NHS England

Philip leads Soft FM operations at NHS England, driving policy and service improvements across healthcare facilities. Current responsibilities are to progress all areas of Soft FM, within the structure of operational and policy leadership. The roll out of improvement following the national healthcare cleaning standards and national healthcare food standards is continual and Philip is also responsible to add portering standards in future months as well as leading on Food as part of the Greener NHS Programme.

Philip chaired the NHS Food Review, commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care after the 2019 Listeria outbreak. He continues to collaborate with the Department of Health & Social Care, having responsibility for the National Standards for Food & Drink in Healthcare.

Having served as National Chair of the Hospital Catering Association, he proactively drives collaboration between fellow organisations such as the British Dietetic Association, Health Estates and Facilities Management Association and Malnutrition Task Force, with the aim to strengthen a holistic approach to catering services for patients, staff and visitors in healthcare across the 4 nations.

His contributions have earned him the Hospital Catering Association’s Outstanding Service Award (2020), the Public Sector Alliance Chairs Award 2025, the Lifetime Achievement Award for the Public Sector 2025 and the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Food Service Catey’s 2025.

As an ambassador for Love British Food, WRAP’s Guardians of Grub and Sophie’s Legacy, he looks to integrate these principles when working across all healthcare sites.

Rob Jepson, CEO Health and Care UK & Ireland, Sodexo

Rob has more than 25 years of facilities management experience across healthcare, retail, education, and corporate real estate. A recognised national leader in estates and facilities, he has led one of the largest and most complex estates portfolios in the NHS as Group Director of Estates & Facilities at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. With experience in wider support services such as clinical engineering and retail optimisation, he has been able to combine strategic insight, operational expertise and commercial acumen to drive growth and support client priorities for safe and reliable services.  He is passionate about people development, particularly championing apprenticeships to develop the workforce at all levels.

Donna Brown - Managing Director, Public Sector Strategic Partnerships, ISS

Donna has worked in healthcare for over 40 years, starting out as an NHS Management Trainee in 1985. Donna joined ISS Healthcare in 1990, and since 2021, as the Healthcare Managing Director for ISS.

Donna is Chair of the BSA Health Committee and holds an MBA which led to the publication of an ISS White Paper on Employee Engagement and becoming a guest lecturer at Kingston University on the master’s degree in healthcare leadership.

She played an integral part in the development of the new National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 and continues to support the next iteration of the standards as a member of the current main working group in 2026. Donna is an active senior sponsor of the Abilities Employee Resource Group and champions getting young people with special educational needs and disabilities into paid employment.

From January 2026, Donna has started a new role as Managing Director, Public Sector Strategic Partnerships, covering ISS’s business across Government, Healthcare and Education. She will be seeking to develop existing partnerships, leverage new and innovative partnerships, drive strategy development, and ignite positive change. Donna has a proven track record in achieving long term business retention, driving growth, and innovation.

Saachi Avis, Head of Dietetics (Healthcare), Compass UK&I

Saachi leads the Compass UK & I Healthcare Dietetics Team, ensuring that food and drink consistently meet legislative requirements, essential standards, and evidence-based guidelines. Her team plays a crucial role in safeguarding the safety and wellbeing of patients, residents, staff, and visitors. They oversee the nutritional and therapeutic aspects of service delivery, driving continuous improvement in food quality, nutritional care, and the overall dining experience. Saachi is deeply passionate about elevating food standards across healthcare and creating positive, memorable mealtime experiences.

With 12 years of experience as a Food Service Dietitian, Saachi began her career as a clinical dietitian in the NHS, specialising in oncology. During that time, she particularly valued collaborating with diet chefs to design bespoke meals for patients recovering from stem cell transplants - an experience that sparked her interest in the catering side of dietetics.

Saachi is currently the Chair of the British Dietetic Association’s Food Service Specialist Group and has contributed to several key BDA publications, including the Nutrition and Hydration Digest, the Mental Health Supplementary Guidance, and the Care Home Digest.