Rochdale

Wednesday 8 January 2003

24-27 September 2002

The Authority was providing an effective food service across most areas of activity.

The Service had recently begun to implement a comprehensive framework of policies and procedural guidance.

Although the audit was undertaken at a relatively early stage in this process, there was well documented evidence that a good standard of service delivery was being achieved, particularly in relation to investigative work, butchers’ shop licensing and most areas of formal enforcement action.

The Authority needs to ensure that food premises inspections are carried out at the required minimum frequencies, according to risk, and that effective follow-up action is taken on unsatisfactory food standards sampling results.

The Authority’s Strengths:

Investigative work – Investigations of food and food premises complaints, food poisoning and follow-up actions to unsatisfactory food hygiene samples were appropriate, thorough and well documented.

Butchers’ shop licensing – Licensing had been carried out in accordance with the Service’s procedures and was well documented using standardised record forms.

The records confirmed that comprehensive licensing assessments had been carried out in all cases examined.

Key Areas for Improvement:

Frequency of food premises inspections – Food hygiene and food standards inspections were not being carried out at the minimum frequencies, according to risk, required by the relevant Food Safety Act Codes of Practice.

These included premises identified as ‘high risk’ by the Authority. The minimum inspection frequencies, as determined by the Codes of Practice, seek to ensure that enforcement authorities
inspect food businesses at a sufficient frequency to enable timely checks and interventions to be made.

Follow-up actions to food standards sampling – There was insufficient evidence to show that all unsatisfactory food standards sampling results received adequate and effective follow-up action.