The Awards recognise best practice and innovation of healthcare staff in the delivery of quality patient care. A total of 328 healthcare projects and initiatives from all over the country applied for this year’s Awards and five HSE West entries were chosen to go forward to the National Event. 

COPE Galway Community Catering delivers 45,000 hot nutritious meals a year to older people in the Galway city and county with a team of more than 120 volunteers who deliver to 14 city routes and two vans bring meals to outlying rural areas. COPE Galway Community Catering is a voluntary organisation that receives some of its funding from the HSE. The organisation provides a first class modern community based meals service which fully integrates with the HSE’s Home Care Model. 

The organisation received the EIQA Q Mark in March of this year at the highest level – Emerald. COPE Galway’s aim is that people are proud to receive the service and recommend it to their friends and family. Achieving a National Q Mark has given overall confidence to the service users in the safety and quality of the food provided. 

Geraldine Ryan Executive Chef at COPE Galway Community Catering said: “Our service is not new. However our approach to it is new, in a sector which now needs to embrace change. 

“We want to be seen to demonstrate best practice in our sector and provide leadership for other Meals on Wheels services to gain similar excellence in hygiene and food safety. We need to do this in order to satisfy the demands of our ageing and changing population in a positive manner.” 

Ms Ryan added: “While we have advanced significantly with the production aspect of our service, we are proud to have maintained equal emphasis on the value of the daily social contact. This is rated by older people as being of equal importance to the food they receive.

“The Flexibility and the personalisation of our service are unique. Our ability to respond in a way to our service users cannot be achieved via commercial ready to eat meals.''

Geraldine Ryan of Community Catering receiving the award