HALL MARK MEAT HYGIENE

Number of lectures on KeySkill : 16

Authors associated with Hall Mark Meat Hygiene:
   Paul Mitchell
   Steve Wotton

Growths
Hall Mark started in 2002 with a staff of 6 OVSs. Since then we have experienced unrivalled expansion in our OV services, to 55 OVs. with most growth achieved after the national tender round, reflecting continued client loyalty. We are one of 2 OV Contractors who operate in all 5 MHS Regions.

Staff retention
Hall Mark have always focused on staff retention as a key element of strategy. Since 2002, only 4 OVs have decided to leave Hall Mark to join another OV Contractor. Our current staff retention rate is 84.2% per year, providing our FBOs with consistent advice and stable relationships in plant.

OV experience
Hall Mark has a highly experienced workforce for this sector. Partly as a plan to recruit experienced OVs and partly through our focus on staff retention, 79% of all Hall Mark OVs are Competency 1 level, with over 3 years experience.

Investors in People
In 2006, Hall Mark achieved the Investors in People Best Practice Award for Leadership & Management, which focuses purely on an organisation’s standard of management. Hall Mark was one of the first companies in the UK to achieve this standard without having first attempted the basic IiP standard. In November 2006, Hall Mark was recommended for the full IiP standard

RCVS trophy
Sandy Duncan, Hall Mark Veterinary Technical Director, became only the second Contract OV to receive the RCVS Trophy for outstanding contribution to veterinary standards in Meat Hygiene when it was presented to him by Chris Lawson the MHS Chief Executive at the Hall Mark Leadership 1st conference in 2005.

Audit Results (see left)
Hall Mark delivers a high standard of technical competence in FBOs.
In Vet Tec audits during 2006, Hall Mark achieved:
  • Half the national average of PFAs per audit
  • No high priority PFAs (national average is 1 in 2 audits)
  • Less than half the national average of medium priority PFAs
  • 70% of Opinions recorded as ‘Good’ (against a national average of 44%)
  • No ‘Weak’ Audit Opinions (against a national average of 1 recorded in every 4 audits)

Market research
In 2006 Hall Mark commissioned an independent Market Research firm to assess the opinion of our most immediate clients regarding Hall Mark’s performance – MHS Area Managers.

"Overall Hall Mark was rated above average with the overall score being 8.2. The highest ratings were achieved for Hall Mark’s retention of OV in plants and for first line supervisory level at 8.6. Hall Mark was rated at 9 or higher on 33 occasions representing 40% of responses."

"Overall Hall Mark is rated very highly amongst users and is
perceived as a partner organisation.. Overall Hall Mark is seen as the Market Leader in terms of service quality with several Area Managers stating that they “would much rather have Hall Mark in all of my plants in my area.”

Sarah Mowl
Independent Market Research Consultant