Food Standards Scotland: Strategy & Approach to Science
23rd June 2021 Geoff Ogle (Chief Executive) Presentation Content
1.Background about FSS 2.The Context we’re now operating in 3.Our Approach to the use of Science and Evidence
2 About Us
We’re the public sector food body for Scotland. Our remit covers all aspects of the food chain in Scotland that can impact public health. We’re here to protect consumers in Scotland from food safety risks and promote healthy eating.
AboutWe work across Us the entire food chain to the food we eat
from land to sea
We continue to adapt and keep pace in a changing food environment. Prioritising public health protection and promoting sustainability.
3 Role and Vision
Our Our Vision Mission Values Statement
To be Scotland’s leading Consumer authority on food safety, Evidence A safe, healthy and Focused based sustainable food standards and healthy environment that benefits eating; using date and and protects the health evidence to provide assurance and advices that and well-being of Open and inspires consumer Independent everyone in Scotland transparent confidence and improves public health
InclusiveInclusive
4 Strategic Focus 2021 - 26
Adapt to Use Data and changing Work with Evidence environment partners
• Monitor the Scottish Diet • Safeguarding • Develop our strategic Scotland’s food chain engagement • Tackle Foodborne illness post EU Exit • Work with Government, • Improve compliance • Managing the Impacts industry and Academia by tailoring of COVID 19 regulatory • Learn from others approaches • Understanding what • Develop our international matters to the people relationships • Identifying risks to the of Scotland food chain
Maintaining Organisational Excellence Effective Efficient Accountability People Skills through: Governance Resourcing
5 Governance
Executive The The Executive Leadership Board Team
Manages the Supports the CEO and Provides FSS with organisation and strategic direction, wider team to deliver delivers on the Strategy on the FSS Strategy. oversight and agreed by the Board. governance. Comprises of two Led by our CEO& Chair and seven Deputy CEOs & our supported by the senior Chief Scientific Adviser members. leadership team
6 Governance Ross Finnie Chairman
Geoff Ogle Ian McWatt Chief Executive Deputy CEO & Director of Policy, Science & Operations
Julie Hesketh- Laird Professor Deputy CEO & David Gally Director of Strategy, Chief Scientific Comms & Adviser Programmes
7 FSS at a glance
Our head office is in 284 total Aberdeen employees Meat 35 Hygiene Official FSS Inspectors Veterinarians + 6 Trainee 150 head 134 field office based based
Around 24,000 In 2019 – 20 FSS feed businesses delivered official controls 66,521 food regulated by in 92 fully approved businesses 22.5m FSS. meat premises operating in £ Scotland that Resource budget are regulated by 32 Local for 2021-22 Authorities.
8 FSS outcomes for 2021-2026
9 Understanding the challenges
Our Enablers
Adaptability Our Our ways Data and Evidence and Sustainable to change expertise of working Digitalisation Understanding delivery models
Key Risks to Delivery
COVID-19 EU EXIT EMERGING MISINFORMATION PUBLIC SECTOR TECHNOLOGY RESOURCING New risks to Constitutional AND Promoting FSS as the the food chain affairs - trade E-COMMERCE expert voice and gaining Increasing pressures and diversion of agreements and the trust of consumers on Local Authorities regulatory future over unreliable sources and FSS result in a resources to relationships Ensuring regulation and assurance of information on diet delivery model which support public with the EU and and health, recognising lacks the resilience health response UK Government keeps pace with new products and the particular needed to meet future the expansion of challenges associated challenges online food markets with social media
10 Our Strategic Goals
GOAL 1 GOAL 2 GOAL 3 GOAL 4 GOAL 5 GOAL 6
Be respected as an A food safety and A regulatory system A research and data authority on food Engage with all parts standards assurance that engages with science capability A food environment protection and public of society in Scotland system that businesses to which enables us to which empowers health nutrition, understanding the commands educate and enable detect risks, monitor consumers to make promoting change issues that matter to international respect compliance, rewards public health trends safe, healthy, and through impactful consumers and and consumer best practice and and consumer sustainable choices relationships within providing information confidence, applies appropriate behaviours and and beyond Scotland that is tailored to their supporting the sanctions when laws translate evidence that enable us to needs Scottish economy are broken into action influence, learn and beyond EU Exit collaborate
COLLABORATION IS KEY!
11 Our 3 key priorities
1. Strengthen our influence over policy aimed at improving Scotland’s diet
2. Build capacity & capability in Scotland to maintain high standards of regulatory assurance as we adapt to the dynamic political landscape post EU Exit
3. Strengthen the impact of the information and advice we provide to ministers and consumers through effective use of science and risk communication
12 Our Science Science and evidence strategy
GOAL 3:
A research and Risk Assessment Horizon scanning data science capability which enables us to detect risks, ALL OF FSS’S WORK IS UNDERPINNED BY ROBUST monitor public SCIENCE AND EVIDENCE health trends and consumer behaviours, and translate Research, Surveillance and Data/Digital evidence into Monitoring action.
14 Using data and evidence
We use social sciences to understand how the changing food environment affects attitudes and behaviours and ensure UK policies take full account of consumer Our evidence-based healthy interests in Scotland. eating advice helps consumers eat well and supports healthier living. Helping us eat a healthy and balanced diet with more fibre fruit and vegetables.
We make use of epidemiological and genomic sequencing data to identify where we can make the greatest impact in reducing the burden of foodborne illness: targeting interventions which control transmission and protect the population groups that are most vulnerable.
15 Risk Analysis
16 Understanding the Risks – Horizon Scanning and Surveillance
Total samples Jul 20 – Feb 21 800 700 600 500
400 606 300 488 200 100 128 78 77 0 5 Chemical Microbiological Substitution
Unsatisfactory samples Satisfactory samples
17 Using SND to understand compliance
Percentage Food Law Non-Compliant 0.16
0.12
0.08
0.04
0.00
Percentage Food Hygiene Non-Compliant 0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
Percentage Food Standards Non-Compliant 0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0.00
18 Understanding the Risks – Tackling Foodborne Illness A One Health Approach 7000 6000 5000 GOAL 3: Campylobacter 4000 Listeria Salmonella A research 3000 and data E. coli O157 2000 Norovirus science capability 1000 which enables 0 us to detect risks, monitor public health trends and consumer behaviours, and translate evidence into action.
19 Research – Campylobacter
Understanding the sources Understanding the population groups at risk
Research - STEC
• Diversity of strains in human infection
• Prevalence in the food chain
• Managing risks in food production
20 Monitoring the Scottish Diet
• FSS is the only government body to collect and publish robust national trends in diet and nutrition in Scotland through our monitoring of purchase and estimated consumer intakes.
• We use these trends to monitor progress towards achieving the Scottish Dietary Goals.
Publish situation reports to benchmark the national diet and where we need to be:
• Provides a call to action for Government and industry.
• A trusted, authoritative source of advice on diet and nutrition to support the development and implementation of policies aimed at achieving the dietary goals.
21 Understanding the wider food landscape Challenges and Opportunities
POLITICS
ECONOMY SOCIETY
FOOD CHAIN
HEALTH ENVIRONMENT
22 Working with others
We work with our We use social sciences to understand partners across how the changing food environment Scotland and affects attitudes and behaviours and beyond to achieve ensure UK policies take full account of shared goals. consumer interests in Scotland.
We work with local authorities, ensuring businesses comply with food law. 23
23 Co determinants of Effectiveness
Effective Trusted High Strong Good
Compliance Making a difference Morale Consumers Engagement
Ineffective Not Trusted Low Weak Poor
24 Thank you Questions?