Access to Emergency Healthcare
Body
This audit assessed whether the Department of Health and responsible agencies are addressing Victorians’ need for timely and equitable access to emergency healthcare.
Appendix E: Assessment and inspection of food premises
Download a PDF copy of Appendix E: Assessment and inspection of food premises.
Appendix D: In-depth background information
Download a PDF copy of Appendix D: In-depth background information.
Appendix C: Audit scope and method
Download a PDF copy of Appendix C: Audit scope and method.
Appendix B: Abbreviations, acronyms and glossary
Download a PDF copy of Appendix B: Abbreviations, acronyms and glossary.
Appendix A. Submissions and comments
Download a PDF copy of Appendix A: Submissions and comments.
4. Guiding and training
The quality of DH's guidance is improving and councils are accessing it more often. However, it does not always meet council needs.
DH’s training and workshops are effective, but EHOs need more regular sessions and refresher training throughout the year.
3. Reporting performance
DH’s statewide food safety reporting does not include useful or timely information about how effectively councils are managing food safety. DH and councils need better performance data to measure food safety outcomes.
The LGPRF provides some insight into the efficiency and effectiveness of food safety management. However, councils do not always calculate results consistently and it is difficult to assess their performance without targets.
2. Monitoring compliance
Not all the audited councils are meeting all their obligations under the Food Act.
None of the audited councils consistently use active surveillance to find unregistered food premises. They are also not assessing or inspecting all food premises.
The councils are responsive to community complaints and provide procedural fairness. However, they could improve their recording and reporting of food safety complaints.
1. Audit context
Food safety is a critical aspect of public health and wellbeing. Worldwide, an estimated 600 million people fall ill each year after consuming contaminated food. An estimated 420,000 of those die. In Australia, approximately 4.7 million cases of foodborne illness cost the community $2.4 billion a year.