Problem with the ACTs Restaurants - Essay Example

Public Sector Management & Theories/case study Introduction The rationale of this case study is to examine the crucial issues affecting the ACT restaurants, and to propose improvements. The new regulations have placed a need for those restaurants closed due to food hygiene to clearly indicate to the public at large their notice for closure. The realization of these improvements was brought up as a way of improving transparency for the public. It will contribute to improved standards of health and more positive staff and citizen relationship. This consequently will result in less illness protest and a better image for the rest of the eateries. Definition of the concerns and challenges According to the Health Protection Service, the problem with the ACT’s restaurants is that they are not paying attention to public health standards as a core value. According to inspectors, all public eateries have a responsibility of focusing on all-purpose sanitation to food management and hand washing amenities in order to create what is known as public value. The problems in restaurants prosecuted in recent times have varied from serious pests’ infestations, to dirty facilities and equipments that had been untidy in a lengthy time and storage of food in unsuitable containers. There were cases where inspectors have reported to have also found defrosting of chickens been done in the alley outside a premise (FLYNN, 123, 2007). In another instance, a thick wad of the food was scrapped off found ground into the floor. Seeking legal advice about whether the closure has been targeted over trivial breaches. There has been concern on premises that have been in operational for some time and suddenly numerous high profile venues being closed. Inspectors have been accused of aiming at established trades to make a point. Similarly, since the commencement of the new law tension between the industry and the inspection service has build up. It is clear that building confidence will be a long road. The ham-fisted approach to the new regulations is believed to burn the bridges (KPMG, 1, 2011). Food safety and regulatory transparency is expected to improve once the eateries invest in the application and right implementation of the regulations. Another way to deal with this challenge is advancing of food safety knowledge in the various premises through the introduction of food safety supervisors. Businesses are urged to embrace cleanliness, and to ensure adequate ways through which they improve relations within the industry. This comprises of mechanisms such as public value, legality and support and set potential. Public value, is where public restaurants comes up with ideas, which are sustainably of value through their provision of services, and following the law, and regulations to the public they serve. Legitimacy and support refers to the idea that the businesses receive both authority and support from the resources available to the organization. It is argued that the government should be in the attempt of balancing these mechanisms (BYRNE, 1, 2012). Description & analysis of alternatives Consecutively, overcoming the identified difficulties solutions will be offered to deal with the restaurants that are doing contrary to the stipulated laws. So as, to deal with the breaching restaurants, laws will be established, that will guide the restaurants in dealing with food hygiene. The health protection services (HPS) has assumed a structure for supervising compliance with food security, which sorts each trade based on the dangers it offers to civic health and protection and applies this to steer the regularity of assessments (COX,1, 2012). However, the effectiveness of this approach is compromised by a decline in scheduled inspections of food premises. This is partially because of the need of operational staff, whether because of difficulty in recruitment, as well as the HPS setting a reactive approach to monitoring non-compliance, and in the longer-term it might compromise food safety. Problems in restaurants indicted in recently consisted of the significant vermin infestations, cleanliness of cooking materials and utensils and appropriate containers for storing food. The eateries will as well be required to have a trained food safety officer close by to ensure that businesses are operating as per the set hygiene rules (BYRNE, 1, 2012). Examples of alternatives To solve the problems identified the ACT Health has issued several warnings to its businesses, encouraging them to maintain cleanliness and hygienic measures. Eateries that are found doing the contrary are banned from selling meals for up to seven occasions, to prevent customers from being poisoned. However, this act should at least give the restaurant owners an opportunity to train their staff and implement the safety measure as stipulated. This will entail offering enough time for food companies to comply with the set rules. This will allow for addressing of the information gaps in peoples knowledge, in the eateries industry. This will benefit small food businesses that contain high staff turnover as they will require a longer period to train employees that are knowledgeable and trained in food safety procedures (COX, 1, 2012). The legislation, however, failed to address some key areas that are critical in developing food businesses to ascertain responsibility and accountability. It should have covered issues dealing with book keeping practices thus tackling such practices within the ACT health. Also, the proposed template for the name and shame register has caused disruptions in the industry. This law has been viewed to be harsh on business at it does only lead to close down of the business but as well leads them to lose credibility among the public. Being a new policy, it has been argued that it targets high profile operations to use them as examples to other business more the smaller restaurants. This has caused accusations directed to Act for applying the law selectively (COX, 1, 2012). Since the law requires that eateries that breach it be closed down, due to deteriorating health standards, all business that goes against it, should be punished equally without bias. However, this policy may lead to a decline in the eateries industry as more and more restaurants are shut down. It could be better to penalize such businesses a substantial amount, and strictly monitor them to observe the set rules. This will allow for the adherence of the policies as well as allowing the business to be operational. Explanation of the preferred alternative Since HPS rely on information provided by safety health personnel closing businesses, is not the ideal solution to the problem. This cause a lot of misunderstanding in compliance by the public as many people are not acquainted with hygienic information thus leading to noncompliance. However by fining such businesses they will be offered a second chance to comply with the laws, and act as a learning experience. This will allow the business to remain, operational as well as pay a fine, and get a chance to, comply unlike the name and shame rule, which leads to the closure of businesses, as well as credibility collapse. For instance the Kingsley's Chicken fast food outlets, was a victim of unfair closure at its manager explains. List of references BYRNE, E 2012, Tensions rise over ACT restaurant closures.666 ABC Canaberra. Web, Retrieved on 17, May 2012. From, < http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-24/tensions-rise-over-act-restaurant-closures/3970614/?site=canberra§ion=news > BYRNE, E (2012) “Tensions rise over ACT restaurant closures” ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, broadcast April 25. Web, retrieved on 17 may 2012, From, COX, L, 2012, Govt to name and shame dodgy ACT food outlets. Canberratimes.com.au. the Canberra times. Web, Retrieved on 17, May 2012, From, < http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/govt-to-name-and-shame-dodgy-act-food-outlets-20120221-1tlwh.html#ixzz1tDYtt0O5 > FLYNN, N. (2007). Public sector management. London [u.a.], SAGE. KPMG (2011), Discussion paper on proposals for improving food safety and food regulatory transparency in the ACT, Canberra. Web, Retrieved on 17 May 2012, from, Read More