Earlier in the week, OnTheWight carried an Isle of Wight council press release highlighting the latest Food Standards Agency (FSA) ratings for businesses on the Island.
Despite the great news that 90% of establishments received either four or five out of five ratings, there were five establishments that received zero ratings for food hygiene.
One such business being Yarmouth hotel, The George.
CP report “paperwork error”
The Isle of Wight County Press’ coverage of the news opened with,
A PAPERWORK error proved to be a recipe for disaster at The George Hotel in Yarmouth, when it landed them with a Food Standards Agency rating of zero.
Keen to determine exactly what errors in the paperwork would have led to a zero hygiene rating, OnTheWight sought a copy of the report (see below).
Inspection report
Inspections are carried out by Isle of Wight council Environmental Health Officers (EHO) and the report is a snapshot at the time of the inspection. The George told OnTheWight today (Thursday), “We now have a clean bill of health”.
It The report shows the inspection was carried out on 10th September 2015 between 11:15am and 1:30pm.
The eight points
The eight points raised by the EHO inspector that needed addressing were:
- HACCP Assessment (what’s this?) needed for Sous Vide operation
- Relocate cooked vacuum packer – to clean area away from dirty equipment and raw machine
- Temporary repair of ceiling needed above cooking range
- Ensure storage methods – reduce risk of contamination
- Ensure stock rotation system adhered to
- Cleanliness – more detailed cleaning needed
- Replace broken fryer basket as several pieces of metal missing
- Ensure regular hand-washing is undertaken
The council explained that since the report was issued, a re-visit has taken place and “improvements have been made ahead of a re-inspection” (difference between a re-visit and re-inspection explained).
The George: “We now have a clean bill of health”
OnTheWight got in touch with The George for their side of the things, and Sarah Evans, General Manager for The George, sent the following,
“In response to the recent attention in the local press regarding our poor Environmental Health Standards inspection rating we would like to reassure our many valued customers that this rating does not reflect on the general hygiene or cleanliness in our spotless kitchens.
“When we were inspected at the beginning of September it transpired that the main issue concerned the responsibilities of our previous Head Chef who had failed to complete the necessary paperwork required for some of the more complex dishes on our menu which require specific cooking methods and temperatures. This administrative error has now been totally rectified and approved by the EHS.
“Two further minor faults concerning signage for staff in the kitchen and a replaced ceiling panel have also been successfully corrected.
“Although we now have a clean bill of health we have to wait until the New Year to be given our official new rating which we are confident will be back to our previous high standards. We apologise to our customers for any concern caused by these administrative errors.”
The George also sent over a letter received (and dated) today from Environmental Health (see below)
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme: Explained
For further background on how food hygiene ratings work, the FSA Website explains,
“The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland helps consumers choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving them information about the hygiene standards in restaurants, takeaways and food shops.”
The Isle of Wight council Website, states
“The rating is based on the level of compliance found during the inspection with legal requirements relating to food hygiene practices, structure/cleanliness and management controls in place to ensure food is produced safely.
“The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme enables you to make an informed choice about where you choose to eat out or shop for food, as it gives you an idea of what’s going on in the kitchen, or behind closed doors.
“The scheme is a good advertisement for businesses that comply with food hygiene law, and encourages others to improve.”
Council explains hygiene inspection
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said:
“Any business that receives a food hygiene inspection is judged on three areas relating to hygiene and safety, confidence in management and the condition of the premises. Each section is given a score up to a maximum of 30, with the total score then added up. The lower the score, the higher the star rating, so for example a total score of below 15 would be a five star rating, whereas a score above 50 is a zero star rating.
“If a business receives a zero star rating, we would expect required improvements to be made and inspecting officers will offer advice and assistance to help businesses comply and improve. A zero star rating in itself is not a reason to close a business although if we feel the risk to the public was high then this is a possible outcome. The council has a staged enforcement policy in which there are a number of options available, and prosecution is only ever used as a last resort. The vast majority of businesses do make improvements, and since The George received a zero rating, a re-visit has taken place and improvements have been made.”
Glossary
For those not involved with the catering trade, these definitions may be of help.
HACCP – The HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a system that helps food business operators look at how they handle food and introduces procedures to make sure the food produced is safe to eat.
Sous Vide – equipment to cook items when placed in a sealed bag, in a water bath.
Re-visit versus re-inspection – A re-visit is different to a re-inspection. A re-inspection is a full inspection where the scores will be done again, a report made and a rating given. A re-visit is just that, a visit to offer advice and guidance and ensure they are working towards any improvements. There are no reports with a re-visit.
