Helping is better than inspecting

In one local authority, a revolution has taken place.  The food safety inspectors have abandoned their clipboards and white coats, and are focussing their efforts on how best to engage with business owners – and they are finding an extremely positive response!

By asking restaurant and cafe owners ‘What Matters’ to them about food safety inspections, the inspectors learned that “Help Me Get it Right” was top of the list.  This came as quite a shock to the inspectors who were used to walking into restaurants and silently walking around writing notes in their inspection reports.  This was followed by a discussion with the business owner away from where the work took place, and a detailed report sent confirming the issues to be rectified.

The inspectors always worked extremely hard, but were effectively told where they needed to inspect as a result of their interpretation of the Food Standards Agency requirements.  As such, they did not feel in control of where or what they inspected.  Premises are ranked according to risk and this tells the inspectors at what interval they should inspect.  This sounds very plausible, but creates some interesting unintended consequences.  For example, a large international department store serving food is classed as high risk, so inspectors have to visit frequently and undertake a very detailed assessment.  As you can probably imagine, these large organisations employ an army of their own inspectors and health experts to ensure everything is perfect, as their reputation is very valuable.  So it is no surprise that when the inspectors appear, they find no unsafe practices.  However, as a result of this, the inspectors do not have the time to spend with much smaller organisations, classed as low risk, but undertaking some unsafe practices.  Additionally, they do not have the time to tackle the root cause of issues, resulting in multiple visits around the same problem.

When the inspectors realised that business owners actually wanted help to get it right, they worked hard to change their own behaviour.  They focus on winning the trust of the business owners, and engaging with them.  Once this trust is built, they employ a variety of methods to help business owners understand what safe practice looks like.  Each visit is an experiment, and the inspectors are constantly trying new techniques and sharing their learning.

The business owners are incredibly grateful, and see how the inspectors are trying to help rather than just inspect.  These business owners now drag the inspectors in from the streets to show off their clean kitchens – they are so engaged and appreciative of the help.

Inspectors are now in a position to make accurate and informed decisions regarding unsafe and safe businesses and, therefore, concentrate their efforts on unsafe businesses.  They are given discretion on how to engage with and subsequently help that business owner create a safe business.  This approach has been so successful, that enforcement action has not been necessary with any business helped using the new approach.

Investing this time at the beginning, reduces the need to undertake repeat visits for the same or different problems – freeing up capacity for the inspectors to help other businesses.

Additionally, by asking business owners how they would like the result of the inspection communicated, they are finding that most just want a list written out while the inspector is on the premises, saving valuable administrative time.  This has also contributed to the local authority clearing the backlog of visits that was hanging over the inspectors.

They have also managed to cut management costs, and the inspectors now compete for the next new business that opens – they enjoy their jobs, and remember why they became inspectors in the first place!

All this came from the inspectors spending time understanding what people wanted from them – asking ‘What Matters’.  From this they gained clarity of purpose, moving from: “Enforce” to “Help Businesses Ensure Safe Practice”.  The results of this change in thinking, and therefore behaviour, are much more effective than the previous approach.

The Food Standards Agency also deserve a mention.  They were brought in early to this piece of work, and were very interested, enabling this local authority to experiment with a new way of working.  This may be the beginning of a national revolution in inspection regimes – let us hope so.

Simon Pickthall worked in the public sector in Wales for many years before founding Vanguard Consulting Wales.  He has been fortunate to have worked with many leaders in Wales to help them understand their organisations from a Systems Thinking perspective –  and improve them as a consequence.  Simon was privileged enough to work on the Munro Review of Child Protection, and is committed to helping the public, private and third sectors deliver social justice through the use of good method.  [email protected]