The last event of the session was a visit to Tarvit Home Farm, Cupar, Fife where James Logan & Son Ltd., part of Scotfruit Group, grow strawberries and raspberries for TESCO and Sainsburys supermarkets.   Scotfruit, the second largest soft fruit provider, supplies 75% of their requirement

Mr Andrew Logan, our host, explained that only top grade fruit is acceptable and strict specifications must be met.  Strawberries must be of regulation size (min.diam. 22 mm), ripeness, husk and stalk attached and free from blemishes.   Approximately 65% of the berries picked are rejected and discarded.  This fruit could be used for jams etc. but at present, there is no system in place to deal with it.

The Scottish picking season, normally July/August, is now artificially extended to 27 weeks by planned planting and covering to accelerate or retard ripening.  Polythene tunnels, constructed at a cost of £42,000 per hectare, protect the crop from rain, wind and birds.  Weather temperature at the flowering stage affects crop size and pollination is aided by the purchase of the farm’s own bees!  Suitable conditions can increase individual plant yield from 500g to 1200g.  Although light spraying is done public concern has influenced farmers to let natural predators control pests.   The fruit from Tarvit is not strictly organic although it would meet Dutch organic criteria.

The farm has a core of local experienced staff led by a technical manager who provide training but a large enough, dependable workforce is not available locally.  At peak production 170 hand-pickers are employed, most are final year students from East European countries working on short-term Home Office contracts.  A good picker can earn £60 per day.

Quality control is vital for a perishable product.  Fruit is examined, sampled and approved at all stages.  Everyone and everything is bar-coded and records are kept for each picker, container, crate and pallet of fruit.    Quality score cards are compiled each picking day and relevant action taken.   Tarvit farm prints all labels to supermarket requirements.  Correct labelling of each unit is critical and QC essential, if any label is incorrect the supermarket can reject the entire consignment.

Picked fruit is kept chilled on the farm, then transferred to refrigerated transport for delivery to the appropriate distribution depot anywhere in Britain at a pre-allotted time.

Most supermarkets calculate ‘shelf-life’ as 3 days + 1 day at the purchaser’s home.  While picking and storage is done every day, half of supermarket weekly sales are made on Friday and Saturday.  Tarvit farm monitors fruit ‘shelf-life’ and retains samples for continuous assessment.

The farmer must ensure each pack is 2% overweight to allow for ‘shrinkage’, and the cost of promotions such as ‘Buy one get one free’ or special offer price reductions are borne by the grower not the seller.  Despite fixed prices, rising costs and variable weather Mr Logan is optimistic and sees a thriving market for quality soft fruit.

The Branch Annual General Meeting was held on 15^th April 2003. During business Chairman Alan Solway presented IQA Certificates to new members Paul Pike, Gayle McGeever and David Wilson.

Member William (Bill) Thomson was awarded a Certificate of Merit for long service to IQA and local Branches.  Bill has been a member for 29 years, 27 on a Branch Committee, 19 as an office bearer and has made a substantial contribution to IQA Education and Membership Boards.

Business was preceded by a Presentation “Getting Excellence Buy In” from Kevin Heneghan, Manager of Fife Business Excellence Forum (FBEF).    The Forum, developed by companies operating in Fife, aims to achieve business excellence through sharing and exchanging skills, ideas and experience.  Amongst it’s goals are to facilitate best practice / support workshops, using the EFQM excellence model and to promote continuous measurable improvement throughout businesses in Fife.

Kevin said the FBEF was set up to provide a programme of events to satisfy anyone who asked, “ What will it do for me “?  He gave a detailed description of a company’s ‘journey’ within the Forum, from joining to achieving the benefits of efficiency and increased production.  The ‘journey’ time can last anything from eighteen months to more than four years.  Kevin stressed commitment from top management was essential to maintain progress.

The staff size of member companies ranges from 7 to 24,000 and the Forum gives them a structured focus for development.  The EFQM Excellence model coupled with self-assessment provides an effective way of involving staff and producing integrated action plans for continuous improvement.

The FBEF, which is controlled by eight Directors from industry, is a ‘not for profit’ company run by the members for the members.  It has generous funding from Scottish Enterprise, which helps to keep fees low.   The willing participation by member firms in sharing information and advice contributes to the “Getting Excellence Buy In” of the Presentation title.

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Tulliallan Castle in Fife.   Hosts were Inspector Jacqui Ruxton and Sergeant Colin Dorrance, both of the Corporate Support Department. Inspector Ruxton is responsible for performance monitoring and review, and International Liaison.  The Tulliallan College , founded in 1954, provides all training for the eight Scottish Regional Police Forces and also maintains strong international links.

Training covers all levels from the initial six weeks Probationer Constable, advanced courses for all ranks, up to strategic command courses. Training staff are not full time ‘ivory tower’ lecturers detached from the real world of policing.  Experienced officers, specially recruited and selected are seconded from their own Forces for a three-year period.  This selection policy is claimed to be the ‘Golden Thread’ that maintains quality of instruction and the focus on relevant topics.

The courses are devised in consultation with the Regional Forces and the diversity of subject reflects all aspects of police work.  They include – The Law, Traffic Training, Drugs, Child Protection, Fraud, Crime Management etc.  CPD is provided and encouraged for everyone whatever their level, rank or expectation but an ambitious, Graduate recruit with the relevant course passes could ‘fast track’ to Inspector rank in seven years.

To make training as realistic as possible, full-size mock-ups of a court, bank, bed-sit, bar and police office, located in the college, are used for role-playing, evidence gathering, and searches.  Students are filmed remotely from a television studio during activities for later evaluation.

Feedback from participation schemes and Her Majesty’s Inspector’s report, highlight any improvements to be made.  In 2002 the College was Highly Commended in EFQM Awards for Business Excellence by Quality Scotland Foundation and it has Charter Mark award for the last three years

The College’s stated Vision, Mission, and Statements of Purpose and Values contain commitments to excellence, development and high quality police service to the public.

A five-year plan is in place to ensure that, training provided meets changing demands of the Scottish Police Force and is effective and efficient. It’s goals are – Quality Training, Lifelong Learning, Commitment to Staff and Best Value in a changing political, economic environment.

East of Scotland Branch is grateful to Mr David Garbutt, Director of the Scottish Police College, Inspector Ruxton and Sergeant Dorrance for an instructive and most enjoyable visit.

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Chairman Alan Solway welcomed members and IQA Director of Operations Howard Emerson, to the inaugural meeting of the East of Scotland branch on 11^th February 2003.

Formed by the merger of Fife and Tayside, and Lothian and Borders branches the first event, a members evening included Mr Emerson’s outline of IQA strategy, Five Presentations and an ISO 9000:2000 Pep Talk by member Tom Candlish.

Mr Emerson spoke of the IQA objectives for 2003, including increased recruitment and retention, action on member surveys, membership awareness of IQA benefits and increased links to other Professional Institutes. There was some criticism from the floor that, compared to it’s American equivalent, Quality World appeared to neglect manufacturing. Mr Emerson noted this and went on to suggest branches could co-ordinate or combine their programmes to avoid duplication of topics and perhaps generate larger audiences.

The Presentations-

Chairman Alan Solway received the Diamond Jubilee Wilkinson Sword Trophy, awarded to Fife and Tayside branch in 2002, judged “ To have made the most significant contribution to the furtherance of the aims of the IQA”.

New member Thomas Barnes took receipt of his membership certificate.

A long service merit award was made to Richard Bellingham, FIQA, active branch member for thirty-two years, fifteen years as treasurer.

A long service merit award was also made to Frederick (Derick) Millar, with nineteen years committee involvement.

David Hendren, first honorary secretary of Fife and Tayside branch, exiled in England since 1988, presented the 1985 Wilkinson Award certificate he had been given for safekeeping. He noted that Fife and Tayside had won the award in it’s first and last years of existence.

After a formal photography session Member Tom Candlish, in a hard hitting talk, reminded members of the approaching transition to ISO 9000.2000. He commented that many firms and QA managers seemed unconcerned, apathetic or ignorant of the approaching December deadline for implementation of the new standard. A request was made for prompt feed back so that the branch could arrange awareness sessions or examine case studies.

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The history, versatility and manufacture of a common but unappreciated product – glass, was the topic of the presentation given by Gordon Dow, managing director of specialist glass manufacturers Spectraglass Limited, Perth, at the final meeting of Fife and Tayside branch.

With thirty-five years in the industry, Gordon has placed Spectraglass, which is registered under ISO 900.2000, in a niche sector producing toughened glass for use in high temperature, corrosive and high-pressure situations such as steam boilers.

Gordon related a short history of glass making from 4000 BC to the present day. He noted that the Venetians appeared to adopt draconian contracts of employment to preserve their glass making secrets.

In the glass production process variations in basic ingredients leads to change of melting point, colour, coefficient of expansion, toughness and resistance to heat and corrosion.   By re-use of some cullet, that is waste glass, melted with new material, the required melting temperature can be reduced, thus saving energy.    The cullet comes mainly from Local Authority bottle banks.  Gordon explained that Britain does not manufacture green glass therefor green glass is not recycled.  With this in mind the British Glass Industry is trying to persuade supermarkets to sell some wine in clear glass bottles.

While craftsmanship is still required in glass blown products, British and European standards apply to major production plants.   5000 tons per day can be produced from a £250 million furnace, which may have a life of only 3 to 4 years.

This ancient product now used in countless ways from fibre optics and space telescopes to a multitude of household articles looks to have a bright future.

The evening ended with vote of thanks to Gordon Dow for a fascinating and entertaining talk.

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Would I Buy it? or WIBI is a continuous quality check used by supermarket giant TESCO on all goods by all staff from production to point of sale.  This simple questioning strategy gives any employee the authority to remove items from the selling chain. The damaged produce or article can then be reduced in price or discarded. This method of constant examination means all workers at every level are involved in quality control thus making QA everyone’s business.  This procedure was one of the interesting facts given to members at a visit to TESCO supermarket, Dunfermline, Fife.  

During her presentation Eunice Jones, Front End Checkout Manager, explained that the Dunfermline outlet is ‘Supermarket’ size in a range from ‘Extra’- e.g. at Aberdeen and Newcastle, ‘Metro’ – City centres, to small filling-station shops.

Opened just over two years ago, built on a green field site, the 24-hour store has about 400 staff working under 25 department managers.  Departmental training involves familiarisation with procedures at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels so each employee has an opportunity to progress and gain promotion.  Members were shown Tesco training videotapes which emphasise careful handling of perishable goods, product knowledge and customer care.

There is more to supermarket retailing than perhaps the customer realises.

Food safety, Weights and Measures, Consumer Protection ,Trade Descriptions and Sale of Goods Acts are important legal quality regulators.  For example it is an offence just to display goods beyond their ‘use-by’ date punishable with a fine of up to £5,000.

Of particular importance is ‘the cold chain’. This phrase is used to describe keeping refrigerated or frozen food at a required temperature from the time it is prepared and packed by the suppliers until it is delivered to the customer. The maximum time products may be out-with ‘the cold chain’ is twenty minutes.  Products will spoil or deteriorate if they are kept out of the required temperature any longer than this.

Unsold perishable items which may have been reduced in price as they reach a sell-by date are removed from the shelves by a ‘waste team, and destroyed. It is illegal even to give them away.

Following the presentation Eunice answered questions fully and frankly and passed out copies of a recent, detailed ‘mystery shopper’ report on all retail sections of the Dunfermline store. The report indicated that the overall score was 87%.  Individual area scores ranged from 40% in one section to 11 departments with 100%.  The report concluded that based on that visit the shopper would be happy to return to the store.

Action is taken in response to the report and there is a continuous programme of improvement in place.  Customer comment cards are readily available and returned cards are dealt with by the appropriate department manager.   There are regular audits by security and stock control staff and weekly visits by the area sales director.

After a refreshment break, members were given a tour of the supermarket, including the loading bay, warehouse, Internet shopping area and the full sales floor.  At the end of the visit Eunice was thanked for her excellent presentation and TESCO for their hospitality.

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“The aim is to ensure that every patient, wherever they live, whatever their illness, gets the highest possible standard of care in the NHS in Scotland”.

At a time when a Glasgow General Practitioner has been ‘struck off ‘, wards are closed due to ‘Winter vomiting virus’, hospital acquired infections are at an all time high and cancer treatment is threatened with collapse at the Beatson Institute, the mission appears perhaps not impossible but certainly daunting.

The presentation entitled “Setting Standards for Healthcare” was made by Frances Smith, Director of Nursing and Quality for the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS).

The near equivalent body in England and Wales is the Commission for Health Improvements (CHI).

Frances explained the CSBS is a statutory body established in April 1999 to develop and run a national system of Quality Assurance and accreditation of clinical services. It sets standards and assesses performance in the NHS against these standards and publishes the findings.

She described how the CSBS started as a team of 3 people to introduce a QA system following a patient’s journey from GP, Consultant then through treatment.

The QA system has evolved on the basis of ISO 9000.   The standards set by the CSBS have been defined and agreed, as essential and acceptable at a limit of cost, by the people delivering the standards. These include information, communication, training, environment and clinical governance.

Compliance with the agreed standards is checked using written evidence, self-assessment by the General Practice or NHS Trust plus visits by multidisciplinary teams to the locations where the service is provided. These review teams include health care professional and members of the public.

After a visit, when the service review is complete the GP or Trust receives feedback, a local report is published by CSBS then findings and recommendations are made to the Scottish Executive Health Department. There is also a National overview of performance.

The board now has 70 staff with an annual budget of £3.5 million. It made 200 visits between March and October 2001 using 2000 reviewers including 350 Patients.

During the final questions and discussion session members felt that CSBS system had come a long way in a short time compared to ISO 9000.  The audience then thanked Frances for an excellent presentation.

CSBS local reports and National Overview can be seen on, 
Scottish Health Statistics