Score 20 — Major improvement necessary
A score of 20 indicates that major improvement is necessary in the management of food safety at the time of your assessment.
At this level, the food safety officer has serious concerns about the way food safety is being managed. FSA guidance identifies issues such as insufficient food safety knowledge, poor appreciation of hazards and control measures, and inadequate development or implementation of food safety management procedures.
Work through every management issue identified
Strengthen food safety procedures, knowledge and control
Complete required actions within the timescales given
What does a Management of Food Safety score of 20 mean?
A score of 20 means that major improvement is necessary in the way food safety is being managed within your business.
At this level, there are significant weaknesses in the systems, knowledge or management controls needed to keep food safe. The food safety officer has substantially reduced confidence that satisfactory standards will be maintained without significant improvement.
Problems may relate to inadequate food safety procedures, poor understanding of significant hazards and controls, inconsistent implementation, insufficient supervision or training, or a varying record of compliance.
Significant improvement to food safety management is required
A Score 20 can reflect inadequate or poorly implemented food safety management procedures, insufficient understanding of hazards and controls, weak supervision or training, or a significantly varying record of compliance.
The officer has significant concerns about ongoing control
This component is not simply a check of paperwork. It considers whether management understands the relevant food safety risks, implements appropriate controls and provides sufficient confidence that satisfactory standards will continue to be maintained.
Your inspection findings now need to take priority. A Score 20 shows that substantial improvement is needed in the management of food safety, but it does not identify the particular management weaknesses found at your business. Use your inspection report, letter and any instructions from your food safety officer to determine what needs to change and when.
What should you do now?
At Score 20, the priority is not simply to add more paperwork. Use your inspection findings to understand why confidence in your food safety management has been reduced, then strengthen the systems, knowledge and day-to-day controls that need improvement.
Start with the food safety officer's findings
Work through the inspection report, letter or written findings systematically. Identify every concern relating to procedures, management controls, staff knowledge, training, supervision, monitoring or record keeping.
Strengthen how food safety risks are controlled
Review whether your food safety management system properly identifies the hazards relevant to your business, the controls needed to manage them and what should happen when those controls are not achieved.
Make sure staff understand and follow the system
Procedures need to work in practice, not only exist on paper. Check that relevant staff understand the controls they are responsible for, have suitable instruction or training and are being properly supervised.
Build confidence that standards will be maintained
Introduce suitable checks to confirm that controls continue to work during normal operation. Review problems when they occur, record corrective action where appropriate and make sure weaknesses do not simply return.
