Welsh Food Alliance Cynghrair Bwyd Cymru

The NVQ approach to delivering nutritional standards is clearly relevant to public funding of all college and employer based catering education in Wales, including hospitals, leisure centres, schools, prisons, further and higher education, home care settings, residential and nursing homes.

The NVQ approach to improved service is a more robust way of demonstrating staff competence in a realistic work environment, as opposed to Vocational Qualifications (VQs) which are classroom based assessments. We are surprised at England’s VQ approach. Commenting on the Assembly Government’s three year spending plans (200506 to 2007-08), WFA recommend prioritising expenditure where nutrition is included within the NVQ ‘Food Preparation and Cooking’ programmes.

The sector skills body (People 1st) had a further private consultation with industry personnel. The majority consulted (essentially large companies) opposed our recommendations "because a knowledge-based unit would not be easily assessable in the work place and because it would not reflect current work practices” (Hansard 4th April 2005).

27th August 2004.

This was a timely discussion with knowledgeable and experienced practitioners producing an interim report and subsequently a detailed proposal setting out the case for a new compulsory stand alone subject area for Key Stages 1

– 3. This was a bold decision, supported by much evidence on the future impact of obesity on health, substantial avoidable NHS costs, the quality of life and the economy. The danger of further delay is that we will soon lose capacity to train new specialist food teachers.

Putting Nutrition into National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) 27th August 2004.

This was the only UK public consultation on ‘Food Preparation and Cooking’ National Occupational Standards, with the aim of improving public health/public protection in all aspects of catering. The consultation concluded that nutrition should be a mandatory stand alone unit at basic, craft, supervisory and management levels. A detailed submission was sent to People 1st.

On July 7th July 2004, at the National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, Hilda Smith presented findings and recommendations arising from 466 people who responded to our second older people’s food survey. The audience included older people, older people’s organisations, central and local government officials, the NHS and caterers. Dr Neil Wooding, Equal Opportunities Commissioner for Wales facilitated the session.