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Developing a competence framework for food safety Tony Lewis, Principal Education Officer, CIEH. Competence – why?. Process started in central government Performance management and cost control Plugging the hole in govt finances Cascaded into government agencies and departments
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Developing a competence framework for food safety Tony Lewis, Principal Education Officer, CIEH
Competence – why? • Process started in central government • Performance management and cost control • Plugging the hole in govt finances • Cascaded into government agencies and departments • Became an issue for EH following the HSE’s (2005) SITNA report • A baseline comparator to apply to all and against which training resources could be more effectively provided • Now a facet of ‘world class’ regulation • Anderson Review • Pennington
Building competence The Professional Development Stairway to Competence Excellence ? Competence ‘Capability’ to ‘competence’ achieved via experience, peer review + reflective practice Capability Competencies Skills The journey to ‘capable’ as an EHP is via the qualification process Knowledge
Where are we now • Framework for H&S (RDNA) complete and launched in January 09 • Framework for health protection complete and launched (by ‘Skills for Health’ as National Occupational Standards) • Framework for PH complete and launched (Cube) • Frameworks developed and about to be piloted in food safety and housing • Framework for port health and contaminated land are under development • LBRO and partners are working on a combined framework for local government regulatory services – supported by LACoRS • Discussions under way with BRC to develop a framework for commercially-based EH
Regulators’ DNA Tool for Health and Safety: Skills / Knowledge / Behaviour
Why bother? • Encourage career-long learning • Maintain and develop skills against a changing environment • Maintain the disciplines of learning and continuous professional development applied during training • Encourage and support more effective development action planning • Encourage and support reflective learning
Why bother? • More structured, consistent and robust approach to identifying development needs at individual and line manager level • Support to Managers to help meet some of these locally • Support to individuals in developing themselves • Provides a shield against challenge to our decisions that is far more robust than a qualification certificate and experience • Once a standard is ‘out there’ and endorsed by a body of some standing it will become ‘compulsory’ by virtue of legal reference
Work to develop the framework been ongoing for >12 months Partnership approach to development: CIEH, REHIS, TSI, LACoRS, FSA, APHA, HSE etc Draft for consultation completed this week Consultation process finalised this week Draft food safety framework
Consultation process • Being overseen by Gary Telfer at CIEH (g.telfer@cieh.org) • Commences with launch in EHN 7th/8th May
Consultation process • Draft posted on CIEH website • Article in EHN highlighting its presence on website and inviting comments. Highlighting that it’s a framework for Food Safety Inspectors, not necessarily Regulators • Comments to be invited from all but particularly from members working in the food industry, in Scotland and EH colleagues working overseas (particularly in Malaysia and Hong Kong) • Ask CIEH ISIG to highlight presence on web to their contacts overseas • Letter to be sent to regions asking them to send copy to their food study groups, or authorities with a particular interest • Framework to be handed to pilot LAs for use • Date for return of comments, 30th June 2009
The food framework • Mirrors the structure of H&S RDNA • Background and aims • Purpose of the framework • How to use the framework • Guidance on logging responses to framework questions
Food framework (2) • Core behavioral competences • Being open and communicative • Acting professionally • Taking personal responsibility • Valuing people • Innovating and learning • Applying and developing job-related expertise
Food framework (3) • IT competences • Organisational competences • Literacy and numeracy • Problem solving from first principles
Food framework (4) • Regulatory Core • To enforce food law, applying the Food Law Code of Practice • To deploy a range of enforcement interventions (In order to secure compliance, learn lessons and improve conditions) • To advise and influence • Research, understand, retain, prioritise and use knowledge effectively • Train and educate (self and others) • Plan organise and prioritise
Food framework (5) • Assessment of critical controls • Partnership working • Business awareness
Food framework (6) • Technical knowledge framework • Food technology • Food standards • Food nutrition and health • Food safety and hygiene • Prescribed legislation
Tony Lewis Principal Education Officer, CIEH t.lewis@cieh.org Tel: 0207 827 5907