Performance and Resources report quarter 4 2022 to 2023: Executive summary of our performance

There have been some significant challenges during 2022/23, however, notwithstanding these challenges, as highlighted by our key metrics, our achievements during quarter 4 include:

’Doing the day job’

Achieved our quarter 4 meat food business audit target (90%) for a third successive quarter. Of the 97% audits completed, the highest delivery achieved since the COVID-19 pandemic, all high risk premises were audited during the period at the required frequency.

LAs made good progress in compliance with the Recovery Plan. Q4 data supports many LAs are completing planned inspections of low risk categories emphasising how the system is closer to aligning with Food Law Code of Practice expectations, particularly for retailers, restaurants and caterers, where inspections are near pre-pandemic levels. 

Although redeployed / diverted staff have returned to food services, there has been a drop in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) posts allocated to food hygiene services in the last 10 years. The lack of suitably qualified people available for LAs to employ has contributed to the fall in filled posts. Some LAs are reporting significant difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff.

For foodborne disease, trends of gastrointestinal pathogens reporting should be interpreted with caution, particularly over the ‘COVID-19’ period (2020 to early 2022) due to many factors which impacted pathogen reporting. 

We have introduced a Risk Analysis and Regulated Products slide for the first time to show a complete picture of our performance in 2022/23, however, further detail will be provided in a dedicated paper going to the Board in 2023.

We have developed a set of Key Performance Indicators to measure the status of science at the FSA, presented for the first time, and indicate that we are making good progress towards key science outcomes.

‘Evolving our own capability and capacity’

We launched the FSA People Plan 2023-26 and refreshed our values, which sets out how we will improve as an employer to deliver our strategy, and maps out how we will attract and grow talent.

Meat food business compliance

97% full meat audit completion (+5% points higher than quarter 3)

Foodborne disease

Laboratory confirmed cases in UK per 100,000 population:

• 98.6 - Campylobacter
• 14.2 - Salmonella 
• 1.80 - Shiga-toxin-producing E.coli O157
• 0.30 - Listeria monocytogenes

Our people

(as at March 2023)

• 1,571 People employed by the FSA (includes fixed term and permanent staff only, excludes FSA Board and Business Committee members, and casual / contingent labour.)
• 69% CS People Survey engagement score - A 1% point increase from 2021 and above the CS benchmark of 65%.
• 6.08 Average working days lost - Below the Civil Service average of 7.9

Financial position

£4.1 million forecast underspend of 2022/23 Westminster budgets, of which: £2.1 million is CDEL
 

Local authority performance

• 99.5% interventions achieved at category A-rated establishments for hygiene. (Target: 100% by 31 Mar 2022)
• 99.0% interventions achieved at category B-rated establishments for hygiene. (Target: 100% by 30 Jun 2022).
• 0 LAs escalated through the process.

Key science outcomes

• 13.9% of total FSA budget is spent on Risk analysis, delivering our research programmes, analysis to support change programmes, science assurance and surveillance and national capability.

FSA sampling activities

• 11,868 samples taken
• 673 Non-compliant results
• £3.3 million total spend

Nutrition Northern Ireland

• 3,364 active MenuCal users - +38% increase in MenuCal users from March 2022 to March 2023.