Introducing the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme in Woking and Surrey Heath Justine Fuller Senior Environmental Health Officer Surrey Heath Borough Council 28 th February 2011 Emma Doherty Senior Environmental Health Officer Woking Borough Council

What will this presentation cover? What is the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme? What types of businesses will be given a rating? How will ratings be calculated? How will customers find out about ratings? What safeguards are there to ensure ratings are fair? What are the benefits for businesses and their customers? What should businesses be doing now?

What is the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme? When food safety officers undertake food hygiene inspections of premises, they score them. Food hygiene rating schemes convert these scores into simplified ratings that are made available to the public. Currently more than 200 local authorities in the UK operate a range of different hygiene rating schemes. The national Scheme is for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is a local authority/Food Standards Agency partnership initiative.

The scheme will provide consumers with information about hygiene standards in food premises at the time they are inspected. This will allow them to make informed choices about the places where they eat out or shop for food thereby encouraging businesses to improve their hygiene standards. A single scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be better for consumers and for businesses What is the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme?

Proliferation of local schemes

Scheme has been developed by the Food Standards Agency. Advice and guidance on development has been provided by a UK-wide Steering Group. Steering Group (and its Working Groups) include food industry representatives from: -the British Retail Consortium; -the British Hospitality Association; -the British Beer and Pub Association; -the Association of Convenience Stores; and -the Forum of Private Business. What is the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme?

The objectives are to have a scheme that: -is clear and easy to understand by consumers; -provides businesses with recognition and an incentive to improve hygiene standards; -includes the safeguards necessary to ensure that businesses are treated fairly; and -is simple and practical to operate by local authorities so that it may be applied consistently. What is the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme?

Framework for the scheme: -covers premises supplying food direct to consumers; -six different ratings to reflect the range of hygiene standards found; -publication of ratings; -safeguards for businesses.

What types of businesses will be given a rating? Restaurants, takeaways, cafés, sandwich shops, pubs, hotels, supermarkets and other retail food outlets, and any other business where consumers can eat or buy food. Certain exemptions apply: -'low-risk' premises which are not generally recognised by consumers as being food businesses; and -certain businesses operating from private addresses – e.g. childminders. Under certain circumstances, exempted businesses can request to opt into the scheme.

At inspection, scores are given for three areas - -how hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored -the condition of the structure of the premises – cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities -how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe These scores are then converted to a food hygiene rating. How will ratings be calculated?

CriteriaScore How hygienically the food is handled Condition of structure How you manage and document food safety Total score080 Level of complianceHighLow

How will ratings be calculated? The food hygiene rating given depends on how well the business does overall and the area(s) that need improving the most (the business may do better in some areas and less well in others). Total score > 50 Additional scoring factor No score > 5 No score > 10 No score > 15 No score > 20 - Rating5 (top) (bottom) Hygiene standards Very goodGood Generally satisfactory Improvement necessary Major improvement necessary Urgent improvement necessary

How will customers find out about ratings? Ratings – of ‘0’ up to ‘5’ - will be published on a national website, so your customers can look them up. We will also give you a certificate and sticker showing your rating – you are encouraged to display these where your customers can easily see them when they visit your premises. As consumers become familiar with the scheme, they will come to expect certificates and stickers to be displayed.

How will customers find out about ratings?

We will notify you of your rating within 14 days of the inspection. You can appeal the rating if you think it is unfair - -appeal forms are available on the website -appeals will be considered by the Lead Officer for Food (or nominated deputy) -you will be notified of the outcome within 7 days -your rating will not be published on the website until you have been notified of the appeal outcome. You will also have a ‘right to reply’ on the website. What safeguards are there to ensure ratings are fair?

You can request a re-visit when you have made the improvements identified at the inspection when you were given a rating. Generally, no re-visits will take place during the first three months after the inspection. Re-visits will be unannounced. Re-visits will look beyond the non-compliance identified at the previous inspection. Ratings may go up, down or remain the same. What safeguards are there to ensure ratings are fair?

A good rating will be a good advertisement - good food hygiene means a good hygiene rating, and a good hygiene rating is good for business. The scheme will provide consumers with at-a-glance information to help them to make informed choices about where they buy and eat food across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. What are the benefits for businesses and their customers?

When will the scheme be rolled out? Initial notification to businesses that will receive a rating & data checking in February. Seminars for businesses held during February and March. Businesses notified of exact launch date and supplied with certificate and sticker in May Launch takes place on 1 st June 2011 when: -Businesses asked to display certificates and stickers; and -Ratings published on national website.

Look at your last food hygiene inspection report to check that you have taken all of the actions needed to ensure that you meet legal requirements. When you receive your next routine inspection ask about your current rating or future rating. If you have any queries about the improvements you need to make to get a better rating, then the food safety officer should be able to provide advice. What should businesses be doing now?

Further Information: -from Food Safety Team Justine Fuller ( ) or Emma Doherty ( ) -on Food Standards Agency website at: Further information and questions?