Cookstown

The Council had effective arrangements in place to ensure that its food premises database was complete and up to date.

The computerised system used by the Council was capable of providing all of the information required by the Agency monitoring returns, however, several inaccuracies were identified in the official returns submitted. These related to the numbers of food hygiene and food standards inspections and revisits carried out, under reporting of enforcement actions and coding errors and inadequacies.

All officers had access to the database and were able to add and amend data. Although relevant training had been provided, it was evident that there were inaccuracies in the information being entered onto the database. Adequate internal monitoring checks were not carried out by the Service to verify correct data entry and coding of activities on the database.

The Service was only carrying out validation checks on some sections of the monitoring form when compiling its monitoring returns. These checks had identified inaccuracies in the monitoring returns generated by the software system, in relation to inspection planning and reporting, and whilst this issue was being addressed by the software provider, the Service had not amended data that it had verified as incorrect. The Service recognised the need to introduce further checks to verify the data in those sections of the monitoring form that were not routinely checked.

Arrangements were in place to ensure the database was protected from loss of information. Access to the database was password protected to prevent corruption of data in relation to the creation and deletion of premises.