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Food hygiene for care home staff.

Care home staff who prepare, serve or help residents with food need supervision and training that fit that work; the law does not require a certificate. What is different is the people you serve: older residents may be more likely to suffer from food poisoning, so care homes add extra steps around handwashing, fridges and visitors.

Sources for this answer
  • Food businesses must make sure food handlers are supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene in a way that matches their work. [S2]
  • Food handlers do not have to hold a food hygiene certificate. [S1]
  • Older people may be more likely to suffer from food poisoning. [S45]

What is different in a care home?

  • Care staff also wash their hands after helping residents use the toilet, emptying bed pans, touching dirty linen or handling pets.
  • Fridges run at or below 5°C, and open food is used within two days unless the label says otherwise.
  • Allergen-free food is stored separately where possible.
  • Care staff who help at mealtimes wash their hands and put on a clean or disposable apron before serving or feeding residents.
  • Visitors are not allowed in the kitchen.
  • Inspection frequency takes account of vulnerable customers.
Facts and sources for this part
  • In care homes, people with care duties should also wash their hands after helping residents use the toilet, emptying bed pans, touching dirty linen or handling pets. [S45]
  • In care homes, fridges should operate at or below 5°C and open food should be used within two days unless the label says otherwise. [S45]
  • In care homes, allergen-free food should be stored separately where possible to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. [S45]
  • Care staff who help during meals wash their hands thoroughly and put on a clean or disposable apron before serving food or feeding residents. [S45]
  • In care homes, visitors should not be allowed in the kitchen. [S45]
  • Inspection frequency takes account of the number and type of customers, for example vulnerable groups. [S18]

Why are residents more at risk?

The FSA notes that older people may be more likely to suffer from food poisoning. Its care home checks are aimed at bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, which is why fridge temperatures and use-by dates get extra attention.

Facts and sources for this part
  • Older people may be more likely to suffer from food poisoning. [S45]
  • The FSA’s care home checks help protect residents from bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes. [S45]
  • Food cannot be supplied or served after its ‘use by’ date. [S28]

When must a carer stay away from food?

Report diarrhoea, vomiting and the other listed symptoms to your manager straight away, including illness in someone you live with. Staff with diarrhoea or vomiting stay away from open food, normally for 48 hours after the symptoms stop naturally.

Facts and sources for this part
  • Staff must report illness to their manager at once, including diarrhoea or vomiting, stomach pain, nausea, fever or jaundice, infected skin, nose or throat, and anyone they live with who has diarrhoea or vomiting. [S4]
  • Staff with diarrhoea or vomiting must stay away from work with or around open food, normally for 48 hours from when symptoms stop naturally. [S4] [S1]

Which guide applies?

The FSA’s SFBB care homes supplement covers three issues found in care homes: protecting food, mini-kitchens and gift food. It is used with the caterers’ pack and is not meant for nursing homes, which need other procedures.

Facts and sources for this part
  • The SFBB care homes supplement covers three issues found in care homes (protecting food, mini-kitchens and gift food), is used with the caterers’ pack, and is not meant for nursing homes. [S20]

Where to start

Start with personal hygiene and illness, then fridges and reheating, then allergens and special diets. Each lesson ends with three practice questions, and the free test draws from all six.

  1. Lesson 2Personal hygiene and fitness to work3 min
  2. Lesson 4Temperature: chilling, cooking, hot holding and reheating4 min
  3. Lesson 6Allergens and food information3 min
  4. Lesson 3Hazards and cross-contamination3 min