Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

Hart Council have adopted the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, which was launched in Hart in December 2011.

The Scheme is a Food Standards Agency/Council partnership initiative to provide consumers with simple information about hygiene standards in food businesses found during routine inspections so as to help them to make informed choices about where they buy and eat food. The scheme replaces the well-received Hampshire safe2eat scheme and is being adopted to ensure consistency with other council’s throughout the country.

What the Scheme is about?

A risk rated approach to inspection of food premises has been practiced for many years by local authorities; this enables councils to prioritise their resources and inspect those posing the highest risk at a greater frequency than others. As part of these risk rating parameters there is a ‘hygiene rating’ and this shows how the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law. It is these ‘hygiene rating’ components that will create the ‘score’ for the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme; these are as follows:

·How hygienically the food is handled - how it is stored, prepared, cooked, re-heated, and cooled

·The condition of the structure of the food premises – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities

·How the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe

As part of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, at the end of the inspection, the business will be given one of six ratings based on the above criteria. These are set out below:

5 - Very good
4 - Good
3 - Generally satisfactory
2 - Improvements necessary
1 - Major improvement necessary
0 - Urgent improvement necessary

I own a food business. Will the scheme apply to me?

Your business will be inspected as part of our routine inspection programme, and all businesses routinely inspected will be issued with a ‘score’ between 0 and 5 (5 being very good).

The Scheme is specifically aimed at premises supplying food directly to consumers and these will include restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways, hotels, mobile traders and other places where consumers eat out. Places where public access is limited but where food is prepared, cooked or handled and served, such as schools, hospitals, nurseries and care homes will also be included, as will retail shops and supermarkets.

I am a customer-What do the different ratings mean?

The food hygiene rating reflects the hygiene standards found on the date of inspection by a food safety officer from the business's Council.

The hygiene standards found at the time of inspection are rated on a scale. At the bottom of the scale is '0' – this means urgent improvement is required. At the top of the scale is '5' – this means the hygiene standards are very good.

A rating shows you how well the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law. It gives you an idea of what's going on in the kitchen, or behind closed doors, so customers can choose where they eat or buy food.

How often will a restaurant or other food business be given a new rating?

A new rating is given each time the business is 'inspected' by a food safety officer from the Council where the business is located. The frequency is determined by the ‘risk’ rating. The greater the risk rating, the more often the business is inspected.

What happens after a food business gets its rating?

The food hygiene rating score awarded to premises will be published on http://ratings.food.gov.uk/ and a sticker and certificate will be given to the premises showing the score that has been awarded.

What can the owner of a business do if they think the rating given is unfair or wrong?

The owner or manager of the business should discuss the rating with the food safety officer that inspected the business. This should explain why the rating was given and provide ways forward for the business to improve its rating in the future. The scheme does have some safeguards for businesses so as to be fair and transparent.

Does a food business have to display its rating?

No, so if you see a business without a hygiene rating sticker or certificate, customers will have to decide if they want to eat or buy food from there without knowing the hygiene standards. Displaying a hygiene rating on show is a good advertisement for businesses that meet the requirements of food hygiene law. A good food hygiene rating is good for business.

What does 'Awaiting Inspection' mean?

If a new business has been set up, or there is a new owner, it will not have a food hygiene rating to begin with but it may display a sticker or certificate that says 'Awaiting Inspection'. A rating will only be given after a Council food safety officer has inspected the business to check the hygiene standards. This is usually carried out within 28 days of the new business being registered with the local environmental health service.

Why are businesses with poor ratings not closed down?

Businesses given ratings of '0' or '1' must make urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards. The Council food safety officer will use a number of enforcement tools as well as giving advice and guidance to make sure these improvements are made.

If the officer finds that a business's hygiene standards are very poor and there is an imminent risk to health – this means food is not safe to eat – the officer will take action to make sure that consumers are protected. This could mean prohibiting part of an operation or closing the business down. This is quite unusual as we aim to maintain and support good standards within our area.

We take a graduated approach to enforcement and always try and educate and advise before conditions require any such formal action. Food premises are subject to visits at ‘any reasonable time’ from food safety officers and therefore aim to be producing good food that is safe for consumers to eat.

Can the owner of a business ask for a revisit/re-inspection to get a new rating?

Yes, but only if the improvements to hygiene that the Council food safety officer told the business about at the last inspection have been made.

The owner or manager of the food business can only ask the Council once for another inspection to be carried out before the date of the next planned inspection.

What is the purpose of requested re-visits?

Premises are automatically given a new food hygiene rating each time the business is inspected by the Council. The frequency of these planned inspections depends on the rating. The greater the risk, the more often premises are inspected. If improvements are made to hygiene standards that the Council food safety officer required at the last planned inspection, a re-visit can be requested, to occur before the next planned inspection. This gives an opportunity for hygiene standards to be reassessed with a view to giving a new and higher food hygiene rating to that premises. A rating may remain the same or go down.

Yes, we're interested to know what you think. You can contact us by emailing eh@hart.gov.uk

If you would like to submit comments to the Food Standards Agency, please email: hygieneratings@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk or by calling 020 7276 8435.

Where can I get more information on the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme?

if you are a food business operator in Hart you can use the links to the right of this page for more information on the scheme, your right to appeal, right to reply or to request a revisit or re-inspections.  Alternatively you can visit the Food Standards Agency website for more information on the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme you can also go to their Food Hygiene Rating Scheme "Frequently Asked Questions" page or please contact the Environmental Health Department on 01252 774421 or email us at eh@hart.gov.uk