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Inspections
Summary
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All food businesses are inspected on a regular basis to ensure that the structural condition of the premises and food handling practices comply with the law.
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Quick links:
Food premises are subject to interventions (inspections or other types of contact) at set frequencies in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice and Practice Guidance issued by the Food Standards Agency. Following an intervention, premises are ‘risk rated’, ie given a numerical score based on:
- Type of food and method of handling
- Consumers at risk
- Level of compliance with hygiene requirements
- Level of compliance with structural requirements
- Confidence in management
This determines when the next intervention is due as shown in the table below:
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Category |
Score |
Minimum intervention frequency |
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A |
92 or higher |
at least every 6 months |
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B |
72 to 91 |
at least every 12 months |
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C |
42 to 71 |
at least every 18 months |
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D |
31 to 41 |
at least every 24 months |
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E |
0 to 30 |
subject to alternative enforcement strategy |
Category A and B premises are always subject to full inspections.
Category C premises are subject to either full inspection or another type of intervention depending on their current level of compliance. Category C premises which are ‘broadly compliant’ are normally subject to a less detailed inspection.
Category D premises will normally receive a brief visit only.
Category E premises are subject to an alternative enforcement strategy. At Babergh this consists of sending a simple questionnaire to most of the Category E premises which, if it is completed and returned, avoids the need for a visit to be made. However, each month a small number of Category E premises are visited. These will normally be premises where there is some preparation of open foods, for example small residential homes, lunch clubs and public houses.
The above approach is designed to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses that are already complying with the law, and has the added advantage of making time available to officers which can be spent on inspecting and advising less compliant businesses.
Visits to premises for inspections and other interventions are usually made without prior notice. If the person in charge is not available, the officer will normally carry out a brief inspection and return at a later date to complete the visit.
Inspections tend to focus initially on the premises’ food safety management system (for example, Safer Food Better Business). The officer will check the documentation, and then make sure that it is being implemented during the physical inspection of the premises by observation and discussions with staff.
If defects are found during an inspection these are usually dealt with informally, that is to say that the works required and timescales for compliance are agreed between the proprietor of the business and the inspecting officer, confirmed in writing and checked at a later date. However, officers can, if necessary, serve legal notices and detain or seize suspect foods, and, in serious cases, may close a premises or recommend prosecution.
Although officers have a duty to enforce the food hygiene legislation, we will also offer advice to businesses on what is best practice and how they can comply with the law. In particular, we will visit new businesses to advise them before they start on how best to organise their businesses in order to avoid problems at a later date.
Many local authorities across the UK have already begun publishing the results of food hygiene inspections on their websites, and encouraging businesses to display a ‘star rating’ certificate or similar on the premises.
What is Scores on the Doors?
"Scores on the Doors" is a scheme which allows the public to view the latest hygiene rating following a food hygiene inspection carried out by officers from the Food and Safety Regulation team. The score will be in the form of a star rating. For more information on the Scores on the Doors scheme
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Related page on this website ...
External links ...
Eat well
The Food Standards Agency's consumer advice and information site, packed with reliable and practical advice about healthy eating, understanding food labels and how what we eat can affect our health. Eatwell website
Food Standards Agency
The Food Standards Agency is an independent Government department set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000 to protect the public's health and consumer interests in relation to food. Food Standards Agency website. Scores on the Doors web page.
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Last updated on: 01 May 2009 | Date of next review: 01 May 2010
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