Request a food hygiene advice visit
We offer a paid service of food safety advice visits to both new and existing food businesses in South Cambridgeshire. These visits could help food businesses to achieve the best Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rating.
The visits are an opportunity for businesses to receive clear, specific advice and guidance to help achieve food safety compliance.
A report of visit form will be provided at the time of the visit highlighting the important aspects that require your attention.
Advice for new food businesses
Your business can request a pre-inspection visit from an Environmental Health Practitioner who can provide advice for:
- the structure, layout and equipment of your food premises
- food safety management system requirements - appropriate for the size and complexity of the premises
- allergen advice and support
- practices and processes
- training requirements
- industry good practices.
Advice for existing food businesses
If you have recently had a food hygiene inspection and your FHRS score was low, an advice visit is a great way to go through any issues to get your premises back on track.
Your business can request an advice visit from an Environmental Health Practitioner who can provide advice for maintaining and improving:
- compliance with general food safety requirements
- your food safety management system requirements - appropriate for the size and complexity of the premises
- allergen advice and support
- practices and processes
- training of staff
- following industry good practices.
Please note that our advisory visits do not guarantee a higher food hygiene rating as part of the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. The visit should help your business increase compliance and identify areas you may need to improve.
For information on the Food Standards Agency’s “Safer Food Better Business” please visit our food safety management system webpage.
Request a food hygiene advice visit
Fees
Advice visits
Advice visits to both new and existing food businesses are charged at £150 (including VAT).
This fee includes:
- a 1 hour visit
- an additional 30 minutes to complete a handwritten report of visit form which will be left with the business.
Re-rating inspections
Re-rating inspections are charged at £170 (VAT not chargeable).
This fee is for an official re-inspection only, this does not form part of the advice service. You can apply for a re-rating inspection on our food hygiene rating page.
Free basic advice
We continue to offer free basic advice for business around simple issues which can be resolved by a quick phone call or email. If there is something you want to discuss, please email commercial.envhealth@scambs.gov.uk
Terms and conditions
Advice visits will be carried out by appointment within 1 month of application. These will be arranged by the Environmental Health Practitioner once the application has been completed and the fee paid.
Where an appointment is cancelled or re-arranged without a valid reason, we reserve the right to charge for this.
Further correspondence, following a report or visit, may incur further cost based on the officer time taken in dealing with the request.
Advice visits are designed to achieve compliance and support businesses, but 'action' may be taken in circumstances where the risk to public health is imminent and informal arrangements are unsuccessful.
Failure to implement advice given could hinder your ability to achieve a greater hygiene rating score at the time of a revisit.
The visit does not guarantee a high FHRS rating at the following inspection and does not signify compliance with food safety matters not covered during the visit.
Other sources of professional advice are available. You are under no obligation to purchase any of our services.