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Redesign for FSA's regulatory role
meat
The new pilot scheme will redistribute regulation to selected companies including Tesco and restaurant chain Mitchell and Butlers.
Agency creating 'a new blueprint' for regulating food businesses

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is to restructure the way in which food regulation is delivered as part of its 'Food We Can Trust' strategic goal. Increasing demands and pressure on the agency’s current inspection model have sparked a need to readdress how resources are distributed.

In a key note speech at the agency’s Parliamentary Reception, Heather Hancock, FSA chairperson said: "We will move away from a one size fits all approach, to tailored and proportionate regulation that reflects risk, reinforces accountability and delivers more for public health."

The new pilot scheme will redistribute regulation to selected companies including Tesco and restaurant chain Mitchell and Butlers, capitalising on larger companies' own auditing and sampling techniques to monitor and ensure food safety.  

The decision has received a mixed response, with critics concerned about the reliability of self-regulation. However, rapid technological and economical changes in the sector have driven the agency to explore alternative means of keeping pace with the industry.

Heather Hancock continued: "We will use robust industry data to help assure compliance and tackle public trust." She went on to praise the success of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS): "Businesses seek higher ratings, and that competitive element drives up levels of compliance."

The pilots will run between now and December 2016. The new regime proper is expected by 2020. 

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RCVS Knowledge appoints Veterinary Evidence editor-in-chief

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has welcomed Professor Peter Cockcroft as editor-in-chief for Veterinary Evidence.

A world-renowned expert in evidence-based veterinary medicine, Prof Cockcroft will lead the strategic development and editorial quality of the open-access journal. He was previously in the role from 2017-2020.

Katie Mantell, CEO of RCVS Knowledge, said: "We are excited about the extensive knowledge of evidence-based veterinary medicine and clinical veterinary research that Peter brings, and we look forward to working with him over this next phase of the journal's development." 

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News Shorts
CVS Group hit by cyber attack

CVS Group, which owns more than 450 veterinary practices in the UK, has been hit by a cyber attack.

In a statement, the group said the incident involved unauthorised external access to a limited number of its IT systems. As soon as the attack was discovered, the group took its IT systems temporarily offline, causing 'considerable operational disruption'.

It has warned that the security steps taken and ongoing plans to move its operational systems and IT infrastructure to the Cloud are likely to have an ongoing impact over a number of weeks.

Due to the risk that personal information was accessed, CVS has informed the Information Commissioner's Office. The company is working with third party consultants to investigate the incident.