Meat Hygiene Service
The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) was established on 1 April 1995, taking over meat inspection duties in fresh meat premises from some 300 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. It is the role of MHS to help ensure that the meat industry safeguards the health of the public, and the health and welfare of animals at slaughter.
This is the MHS's primary objective and the MHS help the meat industry to achieve this by delivering official controls in approved fresh meat premises.
The MHS is an Executive Agency of the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA is the central competent authority in the UK responsible for carrying out official controls. These controls require specified inspections of all animals, carcases and offals through risk-based audits to verify that approved fresh meat premises comply with EU Food Hygiene Regulations. The MHS undertakes the work on behalf of the FSA.
The MHS also undertake official controls on behalf of Defra on animal health and welfare (see link below) to ensure compliance with legislative requirements.
The MHS carry out these controls in slaughterhouses, cutting plants, farmed and wild game facilities and co-located minced meat and meat products premises. The MHS have a statutory duty to provide these services on demand, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
Optimisation Project Board
The Final Report on Optimisation of MHS Resources was presented to the Advisory Body on 25 September 2008. Since then the Optimisation Programme Board is taking forward the recommendations and is working to a timetable of actions which can be viewed below.
Related links
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Find out more
About the MHS
The MHS Board and MHS workforce protect public health and animal welfare in approved premises in Britain. Details about how to contact the MHS, or give feedback about its performance, and any current job vacancies are available. The MHS is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity among its workforce.
MHS publications
The MHS Group Plan 2009/10 sets the MHS's key priorities. It is updated annually to take into account new priorities and business needs. Performance against corporate objectives is reported in the Annual Report and Accounts. The MHS longer term goals and objectives are outlined in the FSA Strategic Plan.
Contacting the MHS
How to get in touch with the Meat Hygiene Service. Guidance on how to give feedback about MHS performance is also available.
Foot and mouth disease outbreak
This section includes the updates issued during the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2007, giving information to food business operators on the impact of the disease on meat production. During an animal disease outbreak, MHS workforce responsibilities include inspecting and recommending re-approval of affected sites that have been cleansed and disinfected to the official vet’s satisfaction.
MHS Manual for Official Controls
The MHS Manual for Official Controls provides details of the tasks, responsibilities and duties MHS staff and veterinary contractors undertake in approved establishments.
MHS Guide to charges for official controls
The MHS provides a range of services in approved meat premises across Great Britain. Some of these services are currently paid for by other Government departments, for example, checks on animal by product controls. Other services are charged to food business operators (FBOs).