Happy New Year. I hope everyone was able to take some time over the Christmas period to rest and spend quality time with family and loved ones. As we know, however, in health and aged care not everyone has the opportunity to step away. To everyone who worked throughout the festive season caring for our patients and residents we want to extend our heartfelt thanks. Your dedication, professionalism and compassion during this busy time do not go unnoticed. You exemplify the values that lie at the heart of our industry and your commitment makes a real difference every day.

As we move into the new year, planning is already well underway for an exciting 2026 with a strong program of educational webinars, networking opportunities, hospital tours and continued partnerships with our valued supporters.

Our first event for the year was a Social Putt Putt (mini golf) afternoon held at Victoria Park at the end of January. It was wonderful to catch up with so many of our members and supporters to see some impressive putting skills on display or at least enjoy a great laugh while trying and share in some friendly competition. The afternoon wrapped up with drinks and snacks, making it a relaxed, enjoyable and highly social event that highlighted the strength of our community and the value of coming together face to face.

On Wednesday 11 February we had the opportunity to attend the Collective Choice event in Sydney, which provided valuable insight into emerging trends, innovation and best practice across the healthcare and hospitality sectors, specifically in relation to Standard 6 (Nutrition and Hydration) in Aged Care.

The program featured a number of high quality presentations. Meyer Food Co showcased their sous vide meat range, highlighting consistency, food safety and efficiency benefits. UNOX demonstrated innovation within hot cupboard technology, including solutions capable of safely holding food for extended periods while maintaining quality. Birch & Waite presented their dessert and salad dressing range, reinforcing their position as leaders in this field. We also heard from Delegate regarding their meal management system, along with Dessolvo labels, which leave no residue and are easily removable, a practical solution for clinical and foodservice environments.

The event provided an excellent platform to connect with industry leaders, suppliers and peers from across the country, strengthening existing relationships and opening the door to new collaborations. Attendance at Collective Choice reinforced the importance of sharing knowledge nationally and continuing to work together to support high quality outcomes for patients, residents and the broader healthcare community.

The following day in Sydney we had the pleasure of attending an Industry Breakfast at St Vincent’s Private Hospital hosted by Paul Constable and the St Vincent’s team. Guests enjoyed breakfast overlooking Sydney Harbour while engaging in discussion and knowledge sharing.

Paul presented on driving patient choice through menu innovation, including midmeal and default meal projects. Our thanks also go to Ellen Hingston for her overview of the new NSW Clinical Excellence Commission Environmental Cleaning Audit Tool, providing insights ahead of its mandatory implementation in July 2026. You can read more about this in Ellen’s article.

The hospital tour that followed provided an opportunity to see these initiatives in action and to connect with colleagues. The event was well attended by Hospitality in Healthcare members and supporters and it was encouraging to meet industry professionals who we hope to welcome as future members and partners. The strong attendance and engagement highlighted the value of these collaborative events and we look forward to delivering more opportunities like this across both Queensland and New South Wales.

We look forward to seeing our members and supporters continue to come together, drive innovation and collaborate throughout the year ahead. The strength of Hospitality in Healthcare lies in our shared commitment to improving outcomes across the sector.

We extend our sincere appreciation to our Committee, Platinum and Gold Supporters and all of our Members. Your ongoing commitment, engagement and support are vital to the continued success and growth of Hospitality in Healthcare. Together we will continue to build a strong, connected and innovative community that supports excellence across health and aged care.

Warm regards,

BRENDAN, KEVIN & the QLD/NSW Committee