Class 1 - nursing homes, hospitals & long day care

Page contents: Overview | New Class 1 premises | Current Class 1 requirements | Proposed changes

Overview

New Class 1 premises

This will mean only minor changes for those businesses currently in Class 1 who serve food exclusively to groups who are more likely to be seriously affected by food poisoning.

Food related risks are highest in Class 1 settings. This is because they serve meals exclusively to groups who are more vulnerable to food poisoning due to their age or state of health (i.e. residents of nursing homes, hospital patients, and children in long day care centres).

For this reason, the requirements for the proposed Class 1 food premises will remain similar to the existing Class 1, but with increased choice of food safety programs.

Current Class 1 requirements

Currently, all Class 1 food businesses registered with councils must submit and comply with a Food Safety Program (FSP) which is tailored to those specific premises. This takes place when first registering the premises, and on each annual registration date.

A Food Safety Program is simply a written plan that shows how the business will ensure that the food sold is safe. For more information about this read So, you want to run a food business? For these businesses, the FSP must be audited by a DH approved third party Food Safety Auditor at least once a year. The independent Auditor checks both whether the FSP is adequate and the business is complying with it. For more information about this read Auditing food businesses.

Class 1 premises must also nominate a Food Safety Supervisor (FSS). This must be someone with the skills and authority to supervise other staff who handle food. For more information about this read So, you want to run a food business?

At present all Class 1 premises must have an annual inspection by the council prior to registration renewal or transfer of the registration to another proprietor.

What will change?

When the changes come into effect on 1 July 2010, all premises that fall within this class of food business will need to:

• register with the council
• have a Food Safety Supervisor (which will include the accredited training completed by many chefs)*;
• be inspected by the council when first registered.

They will also need to have a food safety program. Options will include either:

• an independent Food Safety Program (FSP) (similar to current programs), and
• two compliance checks in each year, as follows:
• an annual audit by a DH approved Food Safety Auditor
• an annual assessment of compliance by the council

or

• a new standard Food Safety Program (when relevant templates are developed), and
• two assessments of compliance in each year by the council.

This means that in all cases a Class 1 premises will be required to undergo two compliance checks in each year, and at least one of these must be carried out by the council.

Proprietors will also have greater choice about the kind of food safety program that they can use. The changes will enable template food safety programs to be developed for the different facilities covered by this class in the future, and, if registered under the Act, used in those facilities. This may make compliance for this class easier, without compromising safety. Such templates will have to be suitable for the food handing operations, bearing in mind the vulnerable nature of the persons who consume the food.

Class 1 businesses will also have access to voluntary staff training available at no cost on the Internet.

* NOTE: Class 1 premises will also be able to have competency based or accredited staff training for staff generally instead of a nominated Food Safety Supervisor, where this forms part of a new QA food safety program prepared under a recognised quality assurance code.

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