Food inspectors find ‘sub-standard’ practices at Maria Mallaband home

A Maria Mallaband care home has been told to improve after food inspectors found ‘sub-standard’ practices.

Homefield Grange in Christchurch, Dorset was given a two out of five rating following a visit by council inspectors on July 31, the Bournemouth Daily Echo reported.

Sean Whitney, Public Health and Protection Manager, Christchurch and East Dorset Councils, said: “A routine food hygiene inspection highlighted some sub-standard practices relating to the storage of high risk food. This was addressed at the time of the inspection to ensure all food stored on site, following the inspection, was safe to eat.

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“The management of the business have accepted our findings and have instigated improvements to ensure this does not happen again.”

Inspectors told staff at the home to dispose of a number of foods due to incorrect storage and labelling, and items being beyond their sell by date.

The food inspection report said:  “It was understood that the chef had left for annual leave on the previous evening. It was considered that because of this that perhaps the chef had not managed the kitchen as well as usual running up to it.”

A Maria Mallaband Care Group spokesperson said: “Senior managers are supporting the staff at Homefield Grange in order to ensure that the necessary improvements have been made and sustained.

“We are confident that we have made the necessary improvements and we look forward to demonstrating this when the EHO (environmental health office) inspector next visits.”