Food, Safety and Licensing Team Manager

• Apr 2022 - Present

Principal Lead Officer

• Oct 2021 - Mar 2022

Team Manager, Pan-Oxfordshire COVID Secure Team

• Oct 2020 - Sep 2021

In my current role I am responsible for directing the day to day operational management of the COVID Secure Proactive Team, as well as the COVID Secure Out of Hours Team. An Oxfordshire-wide COVID Secure Team was requested by the Director of Public Health. In this role I have required to work at pace, adapting to a highly-political, ever-changing situation. I developed procedures for two different teams and am responsible for Line Managing 19 members of staff. As part of my work I was asked by the Local Government association to deliver a webinar on the benefits of a regional COVID Response Model to 700 of my peers. The presentation broke down the model of the Oxfordshire COVID Secure Team and highlighted the benefits that we had experienced. Following the presentation, I fielded questions and answers on the work set-up and COVID response. The role has presented significant opportunities for partnership working and I’ve been able to put in place effective collaborative working practices with Trading Standards, Thames Valley Police, and Public Health England. Show less

Principal Lead Officer, Business Regulation Team

• Jul 2018 - Oct 2020

In my previous role I was responsible for food safety/health and safety enforcement. This included delivery of the proactive inspection programmes, development of related projects and other commercial case work such as infectious disease investigation, nuisance and smoke free enforcement. My role also involved supporting and supervising a small team of specialist officers as well as providing managerial support to the Team Manager. This has resulted in leading on and supporting the team with contentious cases that have seen formal action. In this role I was responsible for pioneering the Council’s New Ways of Working Project. This involved mapping, implementing, and project managing a switch over to a tablet-based, digital system for carrying out inspections and audits. As part of the COVID-19 response work I responded to outbreak investigations and co-developed and delivered a training package for Environmental Health Officers with support from Public Health England. Show less

Bi-Borough Senior Environmental Health Officer, Food Safety and Infectious Disease Control East

• May 2016 - Jun 2018

Within this role I dealt with a variety of high risk issues within an authority that demands very high standards. I had to keep pace with developments to ensure that my knowledge was up-to-date and advised and enforced against high risk and pest related issues. I inspected Notting Hill Carnival, which is the largest street event in Europe and the second largest carnival in the world. This was especially challenging as I dealt with food handlers who have limited knowledge of food hygiene matters in a situation where I had limited enforcement powers. As a Senior Environmental Health Officer, I regularly reviewed the work of my colleagues and offer constructive criticism and explanations to any amendments to aid in continuous development. I adapted recent central policies into procedures for my team to follow at a local level, examples being procedures on food brokers and distance sales. I represented my Local Authority in Lead Officer capacity during Food Liaison Group meetings and as a less than thoroughly cooked working group member. The technical advice from these meetings supports the Food Standards Agency in developing guidance for this field. I served as Lead Officer for a number of high-profile premises within the Royal Borough. I developed new ways of working and potential revenue streams. Show less

Environmental Health Officer, Food Safety Team

• Jun 2014 - May 2016

In this role I had to learn and work within new procedures, as well as a new District. I helped and supported my colleagues over the years and worked hard to ensure I achieved continual improvement. I received positive customer feedback and managed to stay on top of my workload within a busy area that requires a great degree of working with businesses, as well as enforcement work. I investigated food complaints and complaints relating to food premises. In addition, I organised and participated in public heath promotional campaigns and health and safety national campaigns. I led on and assisted others in the closure of food premises where an imminent risk was identified. In addition, I took enforcement action where necessary, such as the service of hygiene improvement notices and carrying out interviews in accordance with PACE codes of practice. Following the fire to Crowmarsh Offices the Team had to work under exceptional and difficult circumstances. Despite the setbacks and challenges this presented I managed to continue to deliver a high standard of day-to day work. I represented my Local Authority during the Local Authority of the Year Awards, during which I delivered a paper that I had written on Food Security. Whilst in this role I was able to complete the majority of work that enabled me to successfully apply for Chartered Environmental Health Officer Status with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. Chartered status is a quality standard for Environmental Health Practitioners. Those who have achieved it are seen as exemplars and ambassadors for the environmental health profession. Show less

Environmental Health Officer, Food Safety Team

• Jul 2012 - Jul 2013

During my time at East Cambridgeshire District Council I carried out a number of formal interventions in high-risk premises. This involved serving formal notices, carrying out interviews under caution, being involved with administering simple cautions and being the investigating officer in prosecutions. I was involved with new food premises and approved premises, which required advising businesses on their legal requirements, recommendations for best practice and reviewing and commenting on their premises specific Food Safety Management Systems. I investigated Food Safety complaints and infectious disease notifications, as well as Health and Safety reportable accidents. I delivered Cautions alongside my Head of Service and saw cases through to Magistrates Court, and where necessary Crown Court. I also carried out interviews in accordance with PACE codes of practice, drafted and served notices, Whilst at East Cambridgeshire my Line Manager was on long-term absence. I acted up to ensure that effective service delivery could continue. This involved allocating work to a Technical Officer and Contractor, carrying out one to one meetings to monitor progress, and making the Head of Service aware of potentially high-profile cases that were ongoing. Show less

Senior Environmental Health Officer

• Oct 2010 - Oct 2011

This post was diverse, as I had to inspect a range of Food Businesses from University Institutions and Hotels with big catering operations to small retail outlets that solely stocked and sold food.I worked with businesses to ensure that they were in compliance with the relevant legislative requirements. Part of this involved working with businesses to help them develop their Health and Safety and Food Safety Management Systems.I was involved in prosecutions that saw me attend court, draft press releases, write statements and potentially give evidence. I looked at such diverse issues as asbestos and legionella in hotels, and noise at work in nightclubs. I was involved in various infectious disease investigations. In all of these instances I have taken the necessary actions to protect Public Health.As part of my yearly project I led in inspecting the Outdoor Events that feature throughout the calendar year. This involved me carrying out targeted inspections of mobile catering units and during the subsequent follow-up I liaised with the Registered Local Authorities to ensure that any points raised were addressed.I was responsible for supervising two Technical Officers. This involved allocating roles, giving supporting advice and supporting officers during contentious cases and potential legal action. Show less

Envrionmental Health Officer

• Jan 2010 - Oct 2010

I have been involved with a variety of work within the Environmental Protection Team.I have responded to complaints from the public concerning a variety of fields including: noise nuisance, odour complaints and fly tipping investigations.This has involved informal action (advisory) as well as formal action (enforcement). In this job role I frequently liaised with other agencies such as the Anti-Social Behaviour Team, City Housing Service (Council Housing) and other Housing Services in order to deal with any issues in the most appropriate manner.In my day-to-day work I have also acted as a consultee for planning applications and have been involved in the conditioning of applications and discharge of planning conditions. Show less

Student Environmental Health Officer

• Oct 2008 - Jun 2009

During this period I was able to develop my skills as an Environmental Health Officer by accompanying Environmental Health Officers on scheduled inspections. I inspected a variety of establishments and the experience I gained helped me to complete my Environmental Health Portfolio. During this period I was able to develop my skills as an Environmental Health Officer by accompanying Environmental Health Officers on scheduled inspections. I inspected a variety of establishments and the experience I gained helped me to complete my Environmental Health Portfolio.

Environmental Enforcement Officer

• Oct 2008 - May 2009

In this position I worked as a generalist technician that required me to carry out a variety of duties. My primary work consisted of working within the Public Protection Department to carry out reactive responses to individual service requests. My work activities varied according to the needs of the department and during my time at Redbridge I carried out various activities such as increasing flood awareness to areas that were detailed as being high risk areas by DEFRA and taking soil samples from a number of sites that were analysed for the determination of contaminated land sites. Show less