Scores on the Doors

The 'Scores on Doors' scheme, allows members of the public to see the results of the last food hygiene inspection in the form of a hygiene star rating.

Currently, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the public have the right to request information on inspections of all food premises within the borough and access to any reports that were sent. The scheme allows residents to see the information they are legally entitled to receive in a manner which is easy to understand. Similar and successful schemes have been used in USA, Denmark and Canada.

Benefits to the public

We hope that the scheme will drive up standards of food safety within premises and give the public the opportunity to make an informed choice about where they choose to eat or buy food based on food safety and hygiene standards. They also have access to information they are legally entitled to receive in an easy to understand format.

Benefits to the food business

The scheme serves as a good advertisement for those food businesses that practise high standards of hygiene, this in turn may lead to an increase in business and reward food business operators for their effort. Several local authorities throughout the country are taking part in the scheme, most are using the same scoring system and star ratings to ensure consistency.

How the scheme works

When an officer carries out a full food hygiene inspection, the food business is given a score for the standard of hygiene found during the visit.  The score is used to determine how often a premise is inspected. The frequency of inspection is calculated using a national risk rating system produced by the Food Standards Agency.

The frequency of inspections for food businesses ranges from every six months for the highest risk businesses, to once every five years for the lowest risks businesses. From January 1 2006 this score has been used to calculate the star rating for the 'Scores on Doors' scheme. 

The scoring system

Southwark environmental health food team has developed a five star award scheme based on parts of the Code of Practice. Premises that are awarded five stars would be premises that presented the lowest food hygiene risk to its customers, premises not awarded any stars would represent premises with the poorest hygiene standards.

Each business is scored on the following criteria

• Food hygiene and safety procedures - how hygienically the food is handled including temperature control
• Structure - the condition of the structure, cleanliness, layout of the premises, lighting and ventilation
• Confidence in management - the food business operators history of compliance with food hygiene law and evidence of a food safety management system
  
  

During the inspection each criteria is given a score, the total of all three scores then generates the number of stars given to a premises in the following way

• 0 to five points, awarded five stars
• 10 to 15 points, awarded four stars
• 20 to 25 points, awarded three stars
• 30 points, awarded two stars
• 35 to 45 points, awarded one star
• 45 points or more, no stars awarded
  
   

Right to reply

All food business operators have a right to reply to a star rating that is posted on the web site.  All replies will be moderated by an appointed person within the council before being posted on the web site, comments that could be posted may include what remedial work has been carried out since the inspection to improve the star rating given at the next inspection.

Appeals procedure

If a food business operator is unhappy with the star rating given to them, they can make a complaint using the councils complaint procedure. Complaints must be received within 14 days of the star rating being posted. Complaints must be made in writing to the business unit manager of the food team at the address below.

You can visit the Scores on the Doors site to find out more.

Contact us

Food team
Tel: 020 7525 2000
Fax: 020 7525 5735
food@southwark.gov.uk 
Chaplin Centre
Thurlow Street
London
SE17 2DG