What to do after your EHO inspection

Today, I’m going to talk about what to do after your EHO inspection.

In my opinion, many businesses do not cease this opportunity. The EHO is a free resource sitting right in front of you, so don’t be shy, ask any questions you have. If the EHO have asked you to do some things, make sure you’re really clear on what you need to do.

1. If you’ve received a good rating (like a 5)

Even if you’ve received a high rating, such as a 5, I would still say there’s always room for improvement. Use this as an opportunity to ask the officer if they think there are any areas you could improve on. These could just be recommendations, but it may be helpful to know. Learn how to get even better so that you can continually improve.

2. If you didn’t get the rating you were hoping for

If your rating is lower than expected, or perhaps things are even more serious and the officer has given you a list of things to sort out — don’t panic. Please don’t get agitated or defensive with the officer because this really doesn’t help. Stay calm and remind your team to do the same, especially if you’re not on-site at the time.

I recommend taking these steps so that you can get things put right quickly and in the way the officer wants:

• Take detailed notes

If you sense during the inspection that things aren’t going too well, make sure to take detailed notes. This is even more important if you’re not on site. If a team member can take notes, they can relay these to you. Also, it helps to show the officer you are taking things seriously.

• Clarify the Officer’s feedback

Even at the end of the inspection, make sure you or someone else spends some time with the officer to understand exactly what needs to be done. If the officer leaves a written report, check if you understand each point on it and that you can read their hand writing. Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if anything is unclear — you don’t want to end up doing something that’s different to what they’ve asked. As an EHO, when I used to work for local authorities, this has happened so many times, I revisit a business and find they haven’t done what has been asked. This is a waste of time for everyone.

3. After the actual EHO inspection

Once the officer has left, I suggest going through the report again. Take immediate action to rectify the issues, and gather your team to run through things and find out what went wrong, why, and how it can be prevented going forwards.

4. If you’re unhappy with your rating

If you disagree with the rating or want a re-rating, you do have options. Following your inspection, the officer should provide you with details of how to go about these things. You can also find information about the safeguards that are in place in relation to the food hygiene rating scheme on the Food Standards Agency website.

And there you have it, some key things to do at the end of your inspection. Remember to stay calm, ask questions, take notes, and make sure you understand what’s required.