Powys: Changes at Brecon hospital after food hygiene rating

Bosses at Bronllys hospital in Brecon say they have now been reinspected and received a five-star rating after inspectors found out of date food in the fridge of the hospital kitchens during a visit at the end of October that resulted in the initial low score.

In their report, inspectors from the food standards agency noted that there were “some major non-compliance with statutory obligations”.

They found that “seven items of food were found on your premises which were past their use-by date.”

“These included six packets of bacon (500g each) and a tub of coleslaw (1kg).

“It is an offence to sell or expose for sale food with an expired use by date. You must check your stock daily and dispose of any out of date food.”

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The report also admonished the hospital for structural issues which could allow pests to enter the building.

Inspectors noted: “The plastic flaps at the rear doors did not properly fit the door and were in poor condition, as there were holes/gaps on either side.

“Additionally the plastic flaps had had been left propped open for some time during the visit, which will further allow easy access for pests.

"From speaking to staff, I understand that these can sometimes get stuck, and are therefore left in an open position, after trolleys are pushed though.

“The pest control contractor also mentioned at the visit ‘Proofing…Blue flap doors leading out the kitchen area to gents toilet have a hole in the bottom right corner that needs fixing as it’s large enough to let rodents pass through’."

Inspectors also raised concerns about the management of stock and said: “At the time of the visit, a number of high risk, ready to eat foods were being stored undated, and/or the incorrect date had been applied to the food products – so it was unclear how old these foods were.

“This also means that there is a risk that some high risk foods would be stored in excess of the recommend maximum shelf life.”

A spokesperson for Powys Teaching Health Board said: “Powys Teaching Health Board fully accepts the findings of a recent food hygiene inspection of Bronllys Hospital Kitchen which has resulted in a food hygiene rating of 1.

 “We take our responsibilities for food safety extremely seriously, and the findings of this inspection do not reflect the high standards we expect in our organisation. Robust measures have already been put in place to address the issues identified in the report, and we have additional monitoring in place and are confident in the standards of food delivery we are offering at the hospital.

 “The health board manages nine kitchens across Powys, and all other facilities have the highest food hygiene rating.

The health board requested a secondary inspection to previous visit and have confirmed that standards have now improved.

They added: “Following a reinspection in November 2023, the Bronllys Hospital Kitchen has received the highest food hygiene rating of 5 (very good).”