National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

The Borough of Broxbourne has now signed up to the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.  The National scheme is a Food Standards Agency/Local Authority partnership initiative which will replace the current ‘Scores on the Doors’ scheme that operates within the Borough of Broxbourne.

What is the Food Hygiene Rating scheme?

The scheme, which will be rolled out as from 1 December 2011, will provide customers with at-a-glance information about the hygiene standards in food businesses found during planned inspections.

Which businesses will be rated?

Businesses supplying food directly to the consumer, such as restaurants, cafés, sandwich shops, takeaway outlets, pubs, hotels and supermarkets will be given a rating.  However, some businesses that are considered to be low risk i.e. newsagents are currently excluded.

How are ratings calculated?

Every business supplying food is regularly inspected by the Council’s environmental health officers. The results of these inspections have been translated into ratings which will range from zero (worst) to five (best) based on how well a premise performs in terms of hygiene, its structural condition and its overall attitude in complying with the law.

What do the ratings mean?

How do I look up the ratings of a food business in Broxbourne?

The ratings for food businesses in the Borough of Broxbourne will be available from 1 December 2011 from the Food Standards Agency website.

Can I request a revisit?

You can request a revisit any time before your next planned inspection.  You should contact the inspecting officer, who if satisfied that all the improvements have been effectively completed, will revisit and re-assess your hygiene standards. This will be a general inspection - not just of the specific areas you have made improvements to. This means that your hygiene rating could go up or down. 

To request a re-inspection, you will need to download the application form from the Food Standards Agency website.

There is also a FHRS procedures for re-inspection document which can be downloaded.

I am an owner of a business and think that the awarded rating is wrong or unfair.  What can I do about it?

If you think that your score is wrong or unfair,  you should speak to the inspecting officer in the first instance so that they can explain how they calculated the rating.

If you are still not happy with your rating, you can appeal in writing within 14 days.  To appeal, you must download the appeals form from the Food Standards Agency website and send it to the principal environmental health officer at the following address:

Environmental Services

Borough Offices, Bishops’ College

Churchgate

Cheshunt

Waltham Cross

Hertfordshire

EN8 9XB

Alternatively, you can email the form to envhealth@broxbourne.gov.uk

What other options do I have?

If you do not want to appeal your rating, but want your customers to know of any unusual circumstances that lead to your rating and/or that you have carried the improvements required, you have the ‘right to reply’. 

You will need to download the 'right to reply' form from the Food Standards Agency website and send the completed form to the principal environmental health officer at the following address:

Environmental Services

Borough Offices, Bishops’ College

Churchgate

Cheshunt

Waltham Cross

Hertfordshire

EN8 9XB

Alternatively, you can email the form to envhealth@broxbourne.gov.uk

There is also a FHRS procedures for appeal or right to reply document which can be downloaded.

Where can I find out more information about the scheme?

Further information can be found on the Food Standards Agency website.