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Local
authority web sites will be crucial to the success of "scores on
the doors", following the Food Standards Agency's
recommendations last week for the national rollout of the scheme.
As it launched software to help
local authorities publish hygiene ratings for 400,000 food
establishments throughout England, Web-Labs dubbed the FSA initiative
"e-government by default".
Edmund Swain, chief executive,
Web-Labs, said: "The FSA has made it clear that food
establishments will not be legally compelled to display the hygiene
certificates awarded under the scheme on their premises. The web will
therefore be the main source of the information for consumers."
Swain made the remarks at the
launch of Web-Labs Food Inspection Reporting System (FIRS). A
prototype of FIRS was used in the year long pilot scheme on which the
FSA based its recommendations.
The FSA made it clear that it
does not see the need for mandatory display of certificates awarded
under the scheme, though future legislation to that effect has not
been ruled out. In the report published last week, however, it
concedes that the worst-performing establishments are least likely to
display their ratings.
"This means that except
on premises that get a clean bill of health, the last place scores
will actually appear is on the doors. By the FSA's own admission,
awareness of the scheme remains low. The reluctance of many premises
to display their certificates will ensure it stays that way,"
Swain said.
Publication on the web remains
the sole means for local authorities to meet the stated aims of the
FSA scheme, firstly to empower and inform the consumer and secondly
to promote overall improvements in hygiene standards.
The FSA's own research found 97%
of consumers and most food establishments backed publication of more
information about hygiene. The experience of the pilot and of similar
schemes in other countries also points to a significant improvement
in standards.
At Eastleigh Borough Council, one
of the participants in the pilot, there were 63 establishments rated
unsatisfactory in January of 2007. Today, following an intensive
programme of visits and the launch of a local 'scores on the doors
website', only 12 establishments are still rated unsatisfactory.
David Ralph, Principle
environmental health officer at Eastleigh Borough Council, said: "Now
that the public has easy access to information on the standards of
hygiene in food businesses hopefully they will consider it when they
are making choices as to where to buy their food. I believe 'scores
on the doors' schemes have the potential to make the biggest
contribution to improving food safety since the Food and Drugs Act 1955."
Developed in partnership with
local authorities, FIRS addresses the concern echoed in the FSA
report that "scores on the doors" should not place an
additional strain on resources.
At £2000 per annum, the
Web-Labs solution will take only a small bite out of the IT budget.
Ease of use and compatibility with the existing CAPS/Flair food
inspection administration systems were major design considerations.
"Some participants in the
pilot were using software that requires inspection results to be
keyed twice, once into the admin system and then a second time into
the web publishing package. Not only is that a needless duplication
of resources, it's a recipe for mistakes," Swain said.
FIRS enables local authorities to
implement "scores on the doors" schemes quickly without
having to second-guess the outcome of the consultation period. As it
is, the FSA report leaves little doubt about the FSA's preferred
scheme leaving only minor details to be ironed out.
The Web-Labs solution also allows
authorities to add value to the scheme with initiatives of their own
as the programme evolves.
"As the scheme gathers
momentum and consumers come to rely on the ratings published online,
there will be opportunities to build much richer information portals
around the 'scores on the doors' sites. For example, they could offer
links to reviews and menus for individual establishments, either as a
free service to consumers and local businesses or as a commercial proposition,"
Swain said |