Privatisation of food safety for retirement homes and hospitals
Food service moves to privatisation with criticism from aged care industry experts
The handling of food and safety standards within NSW hospitals, aged care and retirement homes facilities has slowly become privatised over recent months as the State Government begins to step back from the auditing process.
As of October 2009, food preparation facilities were able to hire a private inspector to examine the safety levels of any food preparation business. This would mean everything from storage, preparation and hygiene would be inspected as assessed for its standards. In the past this process has been the responsibility of government-run NSW Food Authority as an un-biased auditor leading to criticism that private auditors may be more lenient in their inspections in a bid to retain their clients and businesses hiring their services.
Under the new system, private auditors are not able to impose penalties or infringement notices but required to notify the Food Authority of serious issues.
Additionally, from January 1st 2010 the new auditory system was extended beyond simple food preparation and storage to businesses that supply dairy, seafood and meats.
The NSW Government has defended its decision, stating that the move to privatisation is an ideal way to audit more businesses without having to hire more auditors.
The new primary industries minister Steve Whan stated that the changes are designed so that businesses can decide whether to be audited by the state-government services or a private auditor, emphasizing that it is a voluntary system.
''Some businesses may continue using the Food Authority officers as auditors and we believe many licensed food businesses will continue this way.''
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Whan the approval process for the new system would be “rigorous” with all business to be first audited by the government system first before being able to hire private services.
Further criticism of the move expressed concern that businesses will only hire auditors that are less severe in a move to cut any compliance costs.
The NSW Greens have disagreed with the move into privatisation, stating that it is a step down and an obvious move to cut costs.
Antoine Mangion, from the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association, stated that the changes implemented by the NSW Government were a compromise of the health and safety of elderly citizens.
''Many people in nursing homes already suffer from poor nutrition because the quality and range of food provided is barely passable. With nursing homes and others now able to shop around for the ‘friendliest’ auditor in town, there will now be even greater risk of food poisoning and infection.
“These changes have supposedly been introduced on the principles of cutting red tape and providing ‘choice’ to the food industry...There should be no ability to choose how you are audited.
“The only choice CPSA sees coming out of the new auditing procedures is a nursing home or hospital choosing between an auditor that holds firm to the reporting requirements and one that will ‘go soft’.
