Supporting the work of our members: my visit to Bexley Council

As a new member of the Policy and Public Affairs team at CIEH, I’m keen to meet our members, learn more about their work and how we can best represent them and their interests to Parliament and government.

I had the brilliant opportunity to spend a day with Serge Poumo MCIEH, Principal Environmental Health Officer of the London Borough of Bexley, to accompany him undertaking visits across Bexley.

When I arrived, our day was initially delayed as Serge had to carry out several checks in order to assist the Food Standards Agency (FSA) with an urgent query involving several agencies. This immediately highlighted to me how varied an EHP's day can be in responding to different issues.

High standards in school food safety

Our first visit was to a grammar school kitchen, which had been given a very high food safety rating on its previous inspection. The first sign of the high standards the school kitchen maintains was the head chef's relaxed approach to being told the council's food inspector had arrived with no prior warning.

The head chef and his team maintained consistent food hygiene standards, clearly prepared for Serge to walk in any day of the year. Serge asked the staff about how they prepared their food, how they kept different food elements apart (like raw meats and pastries), and how they made the students aware of any allergens in food items. They were able to break down step by step each procedure he asked of them. After viewing the main kitchen and two smaller side kitchens, we returned to the head chef’s office, where Serge looked through all the details of staff training and accreditation, as well as all their food procurement paperwork. It became clear that they would be maintaining their high food hygiene rating, and the openness with which they responded to each of Serge’s questions impressed me as well.

Ensuring safety in public gyms

Next, we went to a gym to review their safety processes. We spent most of the time in their back office, considering everything from cleaning the pools to fixing broken gym equipment. They were very clear with their records and their processes, and their staff were also very friendly to us. They similarly passed their inspection, and it served as another good example to me of what a high health and safety standard can look like. When we finished our visit to the gym, the day was getting on, but Serge and I were keen to complete all the visits we had set out to do. The last one proved to be the most interesting and enlightening of the three.

Addressing food hygiene concerns in local takeaways

We visited a kebab shop slightly set back from a high street that had previously held a good rating. From our visit, it was evident that standards had slipped since the last inspection. The kitchen area was generally unclean and showed multiple food hygiene issues, with dirt inside fridges and storage spaces, opened meats above other food items in the fridges and full bin bags and empty flat cardboard boxes on the floor. On top of this, the venue did not have a rubbish collection contract, and the staff were unsure of various cleaning procedures and which food items contained allergens. We spoke with the manager when he arrived, and he was given a very low grade, plus two weeks to begin work on cleaning up the shop by addressing the most serious issues Serge highlighted.

Reflections on the role of EHPs

I greatly enjoyed visiting Bexley and following Serge, which impressed on me how EHPs ensure that the public can have confidence in the food they eat and the places they go. My sincere thanks to Serge, who was very generous with his time and in sharing his thoughts on CIEH, and to Bexley Borough Council and the Environmental Health team for having me.

Photos taken at the inspection of a kebab shop

At CIEH, we’re committed to supporting our members and showcasing the essential work of Environmental Health Officers. If you're a member with a story to share, we’d love to hear from you.