Food safety programs for vulnerable people
Do I need a food safety program?
The following licensable food businesses must have an accredited food safety program:
- A food business carried on as part of the operations of a private hospital licensed under the Private Health Facilities Act 1999.
- A relevant facility that:
- serves potentially hazardous food
- to at least six persons in the care of the facility at a time.
- A ready-to eat food business processing ready-to-eat food that:
- includes potentially hazardous food
- to at least six persons at a time.
- A food business whose principle activity is processing ready-to-eat food for delivery by a delivered meals organisation if the food:
- includes potentially hazardous food
- is for delivery to at least six persons at a time.
A delivered meals organisation that only delivers food is not required to have an accredited food safety program.
Examples of when a food safety program is required
- a food business that prepares food for patients in a hospital
- a 55 place childcare centre that provides long day care to pre-school children and provides lunches, morning and afternoon tea to the children. The food is processed in the centre’s kitchen and includes potentially hazardous food.
- a residential aged care facility that serves meals to 6 or more patients
- a cook-chill facility that processes ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food for service to patients in several aged care facilities and a regional hospital
- an organisation that cooks meals for delivery to 6 or more frail or aged persons.
Examples of when a food safety program is not required
- A delivered meals organisation collects meals daily before lunchtime from a licensed food business and delivers the meals to its clients (8-10 people).
What is a ready-to-eat food business?
A ready-to-eat food business means a food business whose principal activity is processing ready-to-eat food for service in another facility that is either:
- a relevant facility
- a private hospital
- a public sector hospital.
What is a relevant facility?
A relevant facility means any of the following:
- an aged care facility
- a facility that provides care, including palliative care, to persons with a terminal illness
- a day hospital licensed under the Private Health Facilities Act 1999 (part 6), that provides haemodialysis or cytotoxic infusion health services
- a centre based service licensed under the Child Care Act 2002 (part 2), other than a school age care service under that Act
- an approved education and care service under the Education and Care Services National Law (Queensland), other than:
- a family day care service under that Law
- an education and care service under that Law providing education and care primarily to children who attend school in the preparatory year or a higher year.
What is a delivered meals organisation?
A delivered meals organisation means a community organisation delivering meals to the homes of frail or aged persons, or persons with a disability.
Resources
The following templates can be used to develop a food safety program for vulnerable persons:
- Food safety program template - Child care facilities(DOC)
- Food safety program template - Private hospitals (DOC)
More information
Contact your local council if would like more information about whether your food business needs a food safety program.
Read more about: