Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar (Core audit) (Closed)

Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar is a Scottish Unitary Local Authority that has responsibility for the enforcement of food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs law in the Western Isles, which are situated off the north west coast of mainland Scotland;

Western Isles produce is distributed and sold throughout the world, and the production and export of shellfish and fishery products is a very important part of the Western Isles economy;

There are approximately 500 businesses that are subject to food law enforcement and 115 businesses that are subject to feeding stuffs law enforcement in the Authority�s area;

The Authority has Service Delivery Plans covering food and feeding stuffs law enforcement, although they do not include required detailed information about the Authority�s food and feeding stuffs premises profiles or its planned inspection programmes.

The Authority has appointed authorised Officers and inspectors to enforce food and feeding stuffs law who also have responsibilities for enforcing a wide range of other environmental health and trading standards legislation.

Officers are appropriately qualified, although training records of food law enforcement Officers are insufficient to demonstrate that continuing development requirements are being met. Training of some Environmental Health staff in HACCP principles, practice and assessment requires significant improvement.

Premises records are insufficient to demonstrate that licensing and inspection of butcher shops and the approval of establishments that are subject to product-specific food hygiene legislation are being carried out in accordance with relevant legislation and procedures. Records are insufficient to demonstrate that licensing and approval decisions are based on an assessment of all relevant criteria.

The Authority was unable to provide the auditors with some of the data from the database relating to its food law enforcement service that it was requested to provide prior to, and during the course of, the audit.

Sampling programmes for food and feeding stuffs have been developed and are being implemented. Adverse sample results are followed-up appropriately.

Internal monitoring of the food law enforcement service is not being conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Food Safety Act Code of Practice.

Following the Agency's audit in July 2005 Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar developed an action plan to address the non-conformities raised.

The Agency notes the progress that has already been made with implementation of the action plan. In order to give further time for implementation of the action plan the Agency intends to conduct a further follow up audit at the end of April 2007.

At that time the Agency will be looking to see that:

• procedures are in place for the range of inspections that the Authority carries out
• measures have been taken to ensure that the inspection programme is on track
• any outstanding problems with the Authority's database have been resolved

The follow-up audit report details the following:

• the original non conformity identified during the July 2005 audit
• the action the Authority intended to take to address the non conformity
• the date by which the non conformity was to be rectified
• the progress to date as notified by the Authority in June 2006
• the comments of the Agency Auditors following their follow up audit in November 2006

The actions taken to address the action plan have been noted.

Following the Agency’s audit in July 2005 Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar developed an action plan to address the non-conformities raised.

The Agency notes the progress that has been made with implementation of this action plan, the majority of actions have now been completed. The Agency now intends to contact the Authority in six months time to assess progress with the remaining outstanding actions with a view to closing the audit file.

The information below details the following:

• the original non-conformity identified during the July 2005 audit
• the action the Authority intended to take to address the non conformity
• the date by which the non conformity was to be rectified
• the progress to date as notified by the Authority in June 2006
• the comments of the Agency Auditors following their follow up audit in November 2006
• The comments of the Agency Auditors following their revisit in April 2007 (if required)
• Current status of individual non conformities

Following the Agency’s audit in July 2005 Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar developed an action plan to address the non-conformities raised.

The Agency notes the progress that has been made with implementation of this action plan. At the time of re-visit in April 2008 all actions are satisfactorily being addressed. The Agency now intends to close the audit file.

The report below details the following:

• the original non-conformity identified during the July 2005 audit
• the action the authority intended to take to address the non conformity
• the date by which the non conformity was to be rectified
• the progress to date as notified by the authority in June 2006
• the comments of the Agency auditors following their follow up audit in November 2006
• the comments of the Agency auditors following their re visit in April 2007 (if required or indication if complete)
• the progress to date as notified by the authority in January 2008
• the comments of the Agency auditors following their re visit in April 2008 (if required or indication if complete)