Proposed changes to veterinary supervision arrangements within the Meat Hygiene Service

Development of these proposals has been informed by recommendations in the Wall Report and the subsequent two reports commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) / MHS from DNV Consulting (with the second of these also published today) and the Independent Advisory Group�s (IAG) requirements relating to the Over Thirty Month (OTM) rule change.

The MHS Management Board has identified a number of options for improving veterinary supervision arrangements within the MHS and has indicated a preferred option. These options are set out in the attached MHS paper which has been approved by the MHS Board for consultation. The preferred option principally involves in the short-term:

• continuing to work through our contractors to provide Official Veterinarians in slaughterhouses and game handling establishments, but with technical management and supervision of these Official Veterinarians by MHS-employed Area Official Veterinarians
• audits of Food Business Operators� food safety management systems in slaughterhouses and game handling establishments (and at co-located cutting plants) continuing in most cases to be undertaken by the Official Veterinarian responsible at these premises, supervised by the Area Official Veterinarian
• Area Official Veterinarians will carry out audits in most stand-alone cutting plants and will have ultimate responsibility for the standard of official controls in all establishments, subject to veterinary control
• a re-alignment of other veterinary support roles within the organisation to better meet business needs, with resources transferred either to the new Area Official Veterinarian role or to the Veterinary and Technical Directorate, for the provision of supervision, enhanced instructions, advice, training and support
• establishment of a clear veterinary and technical reporting line to the MHS Veterinary and Technical Director and in turn to the FSA Veterinary Director and the Government�s Chief Veterinary Officer

A further review of arrangements would be carried out by the end of 2007, looking to requirements for the longer term, with the intention that the MHS should eventually move to a largely (40 - 50%) employed Official Veterinarian workforce.

This consultation has been prepared in accordance with the Better Regulation Executive's Code of Practice on Consultation, which states that a consultation must follow better regulation best practice, including carrying out an Impact Assessment (Regulatory Impact Assessment in Scotland). The assessment is included in the consultation documents.

We are interested in what you thought of this consultation and would therefore welcome your general feedback on both the consultation package and overall consultation process. If you would like to assist us to improve the quality of future consultations, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by using the consultation feedback questionnaire.

Consultation feedback questionnaire (Word)

Consultation feedback questionnaire (pdf)

In accordance with the FSA principle of openness our Information Centre at Aviation House will hold a copy of the completed consultation. Responses will be open to public access upon request. The FSA will also publish a summary of responses, which may include personal data, such as your full name and contact address details. If you do not want this information to be released, please complete and return the Publication of Personal Data Form. Return of this form does not mean that we will treat your response to the consultation as confidential, just your personal data.

Data protection form (Word)

Data protection form (pdf)

Within three months of a consultation ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page.

If, after three months, the summary is still not showing, please contact the person who was responsible for the original consultation. Alternatively, you can contact Judith Taylor, the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator, on 020 7276 8633.
Email: judith.taylor@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk