REHIS News

Martin Keeley, Environmental Health Manager at West Dunbartonshire Council discusses how Environmental Health is arguably the most diverse and adaptable professional public health service in Local Authority and how the technology advances made during the pandemic may cause a shift in how we work going forward.

1.Describe your work before the pandemic

From 1 April 2021, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) will take on formal responsibility for making sure businesses comply with laws ensuring feed for animals is safe in Scotland. 

FSS will pick up this role (and become the ‘Competent Authority’) from Scottish local authorities which have been responsible for delivering the service, delivering official controls (statutory duties with regard to the production of food all along the supply chain) to date.

The Institute is sad to hear of the death of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Our condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family.

Friday 26 March marks 15 years since smoke-free legislation was introduced to Scotland.

Together with Stirling University, ASH Scotland reflects on this milestone, available here. 

A study conducted by scientists from Imperial College London and published in the BMJ has found that deaths from serious allergic reactions (“anaphylaxis”) due to food have declined over the past 20 years. This is despite an increase in hospital admissions for food-induced anaphylaxis over the same time. 

The First Minister has set out a timetable for the re-opening of parts of society over the next two months.

Stay at Home regulations will be lifted on 2 April and replaced with guidance to Stay Local, with more services including hairdressers, garden centres and non-essential click and collect services able to open from 5 April.

The Scottish Government have published its Housing to 2040 strategy, which sets out the government’s vision for housing over the next 20 years. 

Housing to 2040 is split into four sections and the key priorities in the strategy include:

Check In Scotland is a way to collect the contact details of people who visit hospitality businesses, such as pub, bars, restaurants and cafes, that's designed to work with NHS Scotland's Test and Protect.

To help reduce the risk of transmission and support the Test and Protect contact tracing service, the Scottish Government has made it mandatory for hospitality venues to collect and manage customer contact details. 

Compulsory housing measures for poultry and captive birds are set to be lifted at the end of this month, the Chief Veterinary Officers from Scotland, England and Wales announced.

The housing measures, which were introduced across Great Britain in December as one of a range of measures to stop the spread of avian influenza, have been a vital tool in protecting flocks across the country from the disease which is circulating in wild birds.

The hospital set up to support Scotland’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is to close on 31 March, with the mass vaccination centre relocating to The SSE Hydro.

Thanks to the public’s continued efforts to reduce the spread of the virus, the NHS Louisa Jordan was not required to treat COVID-19 patients. Since July 2020 the hospital has played a crucial role in supporting the remobilisation of NHS Scotland.