Portsmouth Port Health Authority

The authority had developed a food service plan for 2010/2011, approved by relevant members in July 2010, which detailed the scope of the service and included reference to its imported food responsibilities at Portsmouth port. The plan was broadly in line with planning guidance in the Framework Agreement, with financial and budgetary details being available through other service documents including a performance monitoring and improvement initiative developed by the Local Government Association.

Portsmouth port was a Designated Point of Entry (DPE) for high risk food not of animal origin (FNAO). Auditors visited the port and were able to confirm that appropriate facilities and equipment were available to meet requirements as a DPE and to permit all activities associated with the imported food control service.

Although the port had extensive facilities for the handling and storage of a wide range of foodstuffs, the foods handled at the port were generally limited to fresh organic and non-organic fruits, particularly bananas and mangoes from non-EU countries. There were effective systems and arrangements in place in relation to the monitoring and control of these imported foods, including those for high risk FNAO.

The authority had in place a robust system for the identification of incoming consignments through the systematic detailed checking of every ship’s manifest. Appropriate facilities and equipment were available for the inspection of imported FNAO. Imported food controls including documentary checks and random physical checks were risk based and targeted, in accordance with regulations and previous knowledge and experience. Appropriate official controls were being carried out as required on high risk FNAO.

Due to the limited range of products handled at the port, few formal enforcement actions had been required. In all cases examined the appropriate actions had been taken by the authority.

The authority had developed and implemented policies and procedures covering most areas within the scope of the audit as part of the authority’s quality management system. The procedures provided instructions and guidance regarding the inspection and sampling of imported foods. These procedures required further review to include guidance on the specific sampling and checks required in association with Regulation (EC) No. 669/2009 concerning imported food controls for high risk FNAO.

The authority had a documented procedure for the authorisation of officers, including the Principal Port Health Officer, all of whom were found to be acting within their individual levels of authorisation.

There were extensive and effective liaison arrangements in place with central government, other enforcement bodies, professional organisations and other external stakeholders, including port managers and importing agents. The authority was also contributing to the training of students on imported food matters.

Internal monitoring procedures had been developed to monitor the quality of activities across the service. Whilst there was little evidence in practice of any quality monitoring associated with imported food controls, there was substantial evidence of quantitative monitoring associated with sampling and other checks on high risk FNAO.

During the audit, the arrangements for the control of imported feed were discussed. Through its system of 100% manifest checks on vessels arriving at the port, the authority was able to confirm that no feed had been presented at the port in recent times. One of the authority’s officers had undertaken a review of arrangements for imported feed controls at the port. The resulting report made several recommendations including the development of a separate procedure for official feed controls and the provision of specific officer training. The authority confirmed its plans to provide feed training for relevant officers in the near future.