"The accreditation has helped the Trust to instigate its implementation of the current NHS 'Better Hospital Food' plan for catering services, as well as adhere to the principles of 'best value'."

Graham Walker
General Manager
Catering Services
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust

1. These regulations relate to the Hospitality Assured process for the accreditation of companies of assessed capability in customer service, hereinafter referred to as 'the process'.

2. For the purpose of these regulations:

• Appeals Panel ~ means a panel set-up by the Governing Council of Hospitality Assured. The panel appointed in respect of each appeal shall consist of a Chairperson and at least two members, none of which shall have any direct commercial interest in the subject of the appeal. The HCIMA will reserve the right to sit on this panel and will review all decisions from such a panel.
• Applicant ~ means a body corporate or body incorporate or an individual who acts on behalf of a body corporate or incorporate who has applied for but has not yet been granted a certificate of Accreditation
• Board ~ means the Governing Council of Hospitality Assured set up under an Independent Chairman.
• Certificate of accreditation ~ means a certificate issued by the HCIMA and CTO recognising that the company or organisation has been assessed in accordance with these regulations. In the case of licensing arrangements, certificates can only be issued by approved bodies and must contain the Hospitality Assured mark/symbol
• HA ~ means Hospitality Assured
• Registered Symbol ~ means the recognised logo
• Hospitality Assured Standard ~ means the Standard for Service and Business Excellence

3. The Board is the authority by which certificates of accreditation may be granted and acts through a nominated person, who for the purpose of making assessments under these regulations may appoint an assessment body

4. An applicant company which satisfies the assessment body and accreditation organisation that it meets the minimum requirements laid down for accreditation will be entitled to a certificate of accreditations. A separate certificate will be issued in respect of each registration for which an application is made. Initial certificates are valid from the date of issue until one day prior to the anniversary of that date in the following year. Thereafter, they are renewable annually. If a company does not intend to renew its registration at the end of the year of any registration, it must notify the accreditation organisation in writing of its intention not to do so by ninety clear days prior to the date of renewal. A company's right to use the certificate of registration is not transferable without the permission in writing of the Accreditation organisation

5. A company shall:

1. at all times comply with these regulations;
2. use the registered symbol only for the duration of accreditation, it may not be used if accreditation has been revoked nor it can be used pre an first assessment;
3. continue to meet the requirements laid down in the appropriate Hospitality Assured Standard;
4. not vary the agreed scope under which any certificate is issued during the period of the registration unless it shall have given HA notice in writing of its intention to do so and shall have received written confirmation from the HA that such variations do not render the certificate invalid;
5. discontinue any use of the registered symbol which is unacceptable to the accreditation organisation and any form of statement of reference to the authority of the company to be registered which in the opinion of the accrediting organisation might be misleading;
6. give representatives of HA access during normal working hours to the premises to establish that the procedures for the termination of accreditation described in Regulation 5 (h) have been carried out;
7. nominate for the approval of the accrediting body a management representative and one or more deputies authorised to act in the main nominee's absence who shall be responsible for all matters in connection with the requirements of the certificate of accreditation and who shall, upon each visit by the representatives of HA sign a declaration to the effect that any changes relevant to the accreditation have been notified to HA
8. upon the determination of the certificate of accreditation, however determined, forthwith discontinue the use of the Registered symbol and all advertising matter which contains it or any reference there to. Any other documents in the possession of the company which bear reference to the certificate shall, if the Accreditation organisation so requires have such references erased.

6. A company shall pay:

1. an agreed annual assessment fee;
2. additional fees for assessment and the re-issue or endorsement of the Certificate of Accreditation and administration which are determined from time to time by the Accreditation Organisation to be fair and appropriate
3. any additional costs incurred by HA or related parties, to include advisors and assessors due to the company's non-compliance with the regulations

7. The Accrediting Organisation:

1. arrange for annual assessment of the Company and may undertake checks at any reasonable time to ensure that the standards for accreditation are being maintained and that for the purposes of marketing and selling the Company is making proper use of the HA registered symbol
2. notify the company of any changes to the Standard
3. not disclose any information concerning the company which is of a confidential nature, other than information which is in the public domain;
4. handle any complaints or appeals and disputes in respect of the service provided in connection with delivering and supporting the HA standard and make clear to the company the appeals and disputes procedure

8. If a company is temporarily unable to comply with the requirements of these Regulations, the Accrediting Organisation may require the company to discontinue use of the Registered Symbol with immediate effect until such time that the conditions of accreditation can be met

9. If the company fails to comply with any agreed regulations pertaining to the standard the Accrediting Organisation, may subject to the provisions in Regulation 11:

1. revoke the Certificate of Accreditation
2. reduce the scope of the registration, or
3. refuse to grant or renew the Certificate of Accreditation

Such decisions and the grounds for them shall be communicated to the company in writing

10. The Accrediting Organisation, at their discretion and subject to the provisions of Regulation 11, may revoke or refuse to grant or renew a Certificate of Accreditation if the Company becomes subject to the bankruptcy laws or makes any arrangements in composition with its creditors or enters into liquidation, whether compulsory or voluntary (but not liquidation for the purpose of reconstruction) or has a Receiver of its business appointed or is convicted of an offence tending to discredit the company's reputation and good faith as a trader. Such decisions and the grounds for them shall be communicated to the company in writing

11. In the event of a company wishing to appeal against an assessment decision, it shall within 14 clear days of having been informed of the assessment decision, give in notice to the Accrediting Organisation, the address of which will be made available at the start of the assessment process, of its desire to appeal against that decision. An Appeals Panel shall be convened, which shall be held within 30 clear days of receipt of such notice and the appellant shall be given at least seven days clear notice of the time and place of such a meeting. The decision of the assessment body shall stand pending the meeting of the Appeals Panel. At such meetings both the appellant and panel and assessment body shall be entitled to be heard in confidence. The decision of the Appeals Panel will be final

12. These regulations may from time to time be altered by the Accrediting organisation. No such alterations shall effect the right of any company to use the Registered Symbol or claim to be accredited under the HA scheme unless or until it shall have been given notice in writing of such alterations by the Accrediting organisation, who shall notify the company of the date by which it must comply with altered Regulations, which shall not be less than six months from the date of notification of the alteration.

13. A register of accredited companies shall be maintained by the HCIMA and shall be open to inspection by appropriate authorities and the public at the offices of Hospitality Assured

14. Any notice under these Regulations shall be in writing and signed by or on behalf of the party giving the notice which may be served by sending it by prepaid recorded delivery or registered post or by hand delivery to HA or the company at or to its address for the time being (registered office address where applicable). Any notice so served by post shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to have been served forty-eight hours from the time of posting and in proving such service it shall be sufficient to prove that the notice was properly addressed and was posted in accordance with this Regulation