RSPH Level 4 Diploma for Proficiency in Meat Inspection

What is the Level 4 Diploma for Proficiency in Meat Inspection?

The RSPH Level 4 Diploma for Proficiency in Meat Inspection covers advanced principles of meat inspection, including the identification of diseases and defects, hygiene practices, and regulatory requirements.

This qualification is designed to help you ensure that meat is safe and suitable for consumption. Most issues in meat inspection are attributable to a lack of knowledge or carelessness. This accredited qualification is designed to help you make your workplace safe for yourself and others through awareness and understanding of the roles, responsibilities, risks, and hazards that could exist in meat inspection.

This qualification is regulated by Ofqual/CCEA.

Who is this qualification for? 

This qualification is valuable for anyone involved in or looking to enter the meat inspection industry – whether you’re a new entrant, an experienced inspector, or a food safety professional. 

Key skills 

By completing this qualification, you will come away with practical, actionable understanding of the facts and procedures of meat inspection, including: 

• Understand how to verify food safety management procedures for meat establishments 

• Verify food safety management procedures for meat establishments 

• Understand how to carry out pre-slaughter inspection of red meat species 

• Carry out pre-slaughter inspection of red meat species 

• Understand how to carry out post-mortem inspection of red meat 

• Carry out post-mortem inspection of red meat 

• Understand how to verify the removal of specified risk material animal by-products and processing of edible co-products in meat operations 

• Verify the removal of specified risk material and animal byproducts and the processing of edible co-products in meat operations 

• Understand how to manage sampling in meat operations 

• Manage sampling in meat operations 

• Principles of microbiology and parasitology in meat production 

• Principles of rearing and welfare of meat species 

• Principles of meat primary processing 

• Principles of HACCP based food safety management for official meat controls 

• Principles of slaughter techniques for meat species 

• Principles of pathology of meat species 

• Principles of anatomy and physiology of meat species 

For full details, read the course specification below.

How long does it take to complete? 

The qualification takes a total of 937 hours to complete, including 297 hours of guided learning time, followed by an portfolio of evidence supported by questioning on submission for each unit.  

Career progression 

This qualification prepares learners to become wish to qualify as Official Auxiliaries (meat hygiene inspectors) and be appointed by the Food Standards Agency to work in England, Scotland and Wales and by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to work in Northern Ireland. 

Downloadable documents

How do I apply?