Health and Social Care >> Food Hygiene and Safety

Scores on the Doors

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What is Scores on the Doors?

Scores on the Doors is a scheme that allows the public to view hygiene ratings following a routine food hygiene inspection by the local authority.  Under the scheme, each food outlet may display inspection information on the door or window.  This information will also be supported by a website, where consumers will be able to look up a food business hygiene rating on-line.  Many people are requesting inspection reports and information from their local authority under the Freedom of Information legislation.  This scheme will provide this information in a more accessible way.

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Is this a National Scheme?

The Food Standards Agency are developing a national scheme of six levels.  Their steering group is developing the proceedures and parameters of the scheme at present and hope to publish their recomentations by the end of January 2010.

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What type of businesses will be included in the scheme?

It is proposed that all catering businesses will be included in the scheme including restaurant, cafés, takeaways, delicatessens, care homes, hotels, and pubs serving food.

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Are there any exemptions?

It is proposed that low risk businesses or those which are inaccessible to the public will not be included, for example, newsagents, wholesalers, home caterers.  These businesses are still included as part of the council's food hygiene inspection programme even though they may not be part of the scores on the doors scheme.

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How will businesses be scored?

Scoring is based on criteria set out in the food law code of practice.  The criteria within the code of practice look at the level of risk a food business poses to consumers and a score is given based directly on that risk.  The three criteria used for providing a rating under the scores on the doors scheme include the following:

• Food Hygiene and Safety - Food handling practices, cooking, chilling, preventing cross contamination and temperature control
• Structure and Cleaning - Cleanliness, layout, condition of the structure, lighting, ventilation, facilities etc
• Confidence in Management - The track record of the business, the attitude of the present management towards hygiene and safety, hygiene and food safety technical knowledge available and satisfactory documented procedures and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) based food safety management systems

The scheme does not reflect the quality of the food being served; it is about how hygienic the premises are.

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When will Scores on the Doors be available in Hastings?

Hastings is committed to joining the Scores on the Doors scheme.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) are developing a national scheme that is at present drawing up the terms of reference to provide a six tier award.  The FSA hopes to announce the levels at which the six tiers will be arranged by September 2009.  At this time Hastings will be contacting local food businesses and inform them of their potential score.

The full scheme is programmed to go live in Summer of 2010.  Consumers will then be able to access a national site to find out the food safety standards for any particular food businesses as determined at their last food hygiene inspection.

Visit www.food.gov.uk for further information.

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