Improving and protecting health and wellbeing in Scotland through education, training and qualifications in Environmental Health
EDPHiS has been working closely with and supporting the Good Places, Better Health (GPBH) initiative of the Scottish Government
It was thought that some members may be interested in reports from EDPHiS, which was part of the Scottish Government’s Good Places Better Health initiative. They can be found by clicking on this link, www.edphis.org.uk
Louise Rennick
Environment & Health Project Manager
NHS Health Scotland
Tel: 0141 414 2749
It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Institute has appointed Linda Kain to the position of Director of Professional Development and Jackie McCabe to the position of Director of Training. Linda and Jackie were selected from a very strong group of applicants and will take up their posts early in the New Year. To ensure a smooth hand-over they will work with present incumbents Robert Howe and Graham Walker for a few weeks before Robert and Graham retire at the end of March.
Linda Kain is a Chartered Environmental Health Officer, a graduate Food Scientist with 13 years experience in the public sector and 14 years experience in the food industry. She is a member of the REHIS Council and currently works as an Environmental Health Officer for Dumfries and Galloway Council and South Lanarkshire Council.
Jackie McCabe is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. She holds an HND in Hotel Catering and Institutional Management and range of technical qualifications. She is also a REHIS Food Hygiene and Health & Safety at Work Course Presenter. Jackie is currently the Training Manager with C J Lang and Son Ltd, Dundee.
I take this opportunity to thank all applicants for their interest in working for the Institute and to all those who assisted in the recruitment process.
Colin Wallace
Senior Vice-President and Chairman of the Management Committee
Brian Kelly, former Director of Environmental Protection Services with Glasgow City Council, recently returned from his tenth visit to Malawi. Brian’s involvement in Malawi dates back to 2004 and an agreement between the Lord Provosts of Glasgow and Edinburgh and the subsequent launch of the Scotland Malawi Partnership. The Partnership’s initial focus was to strengthen existing ties between the two countries and to create new links which would improve health, education and, water and sanitation in Malawi. Brian provided a comprehensive insight into the work of the Partnership and his role within it in the Spring 2005 edition of Environmental Health Scotland.
On his latest visit, while in discussion with Vitto Mulula the Deputy Chief Executive of Lilongwe City Council, Brian was made aware that there are no statutory powers in existence for the control of the increasing incidence of noise nuisance in Malawi. Mr Mulula advised that elections at national and local level are scheduled for 20 May 2014 after many years without elected representatives and expressed the hope that the incoming government can be petitioned to consider the introduction of Bye-Laws for the control of noise nuisance.
In anticipation of the introduction of Bye-Laws, Mr Mulula requested assistance in securing noise measuring equipment so that Environmental Health Officers can become familiar with the techniques for measuring sound and properly assessing whether or not any set standard is being breached.
Brian appeals to any local authority in Scotland which may have surplus noise measuring equipment to consider donating such kit for use in Malawi. Brian will arrange collection and shipping of any donated equipment to Malawi. Any donated equipment should be usable and be accompanied by supporting documentation, user manuals and calibration equipment.
If your local authority may be able assist with this appeal please contact Brian at brian.kelly1945@yahoo.co.uk.
Click on the links below for more information and booking forms
Health and Safety Update – 8 October 2013
Food Update – 9 October 2013
Trainers’ Update Seminar – 23rd October 2013
REHIS is delighted to announce that Stewart Maxwell MSP, an Honorary Vice-President of the Institute, has agreed to sponsor an event to be held in the Members’ Restaurant in the Scottish Parliament, Holyrood to mark World Environmental Health Day 2013. Members are invited to participate in this evening event being organised by the Institute, which will be held on 26 September at 5.30pm.
The event will be in the format of a ‘Question Time’, similar to the BBC programme, with an invited panel and an audience made up of REHIS members. Questions will be encouraged on a whole variety of subjects relating to Environmental Health. Confirmed panel members are:
A free buffet will be available before the event commences.
Please book your place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Members wishing to attend should contact the REHIS office by email at hb@ – please insert ‘REHIS WEHD Event’ in the subject line.
Health Protection Scotland and Food Standards Agency (Scotland) Joint Annual Report on Infectious Intestinal Disease Associated with Foodborne Illness in Scotland, 2012.
This is the first joint annual report published by Health Protection Scotland and the Food Standards Agency (Scotland), focussing on the key pathogens identified by the UK Foodborne Disease Strategy.
you can download the report at:
http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/giz/publicationsdetail.aspx?id=55573
It is anticipated that this report will be renewed on an annual basis.
The August 2013 edition of the REHIS e-Newsletter ‘News for Public Health Professionals’ has been uploaded to this website and is accessible from a dedicated public access portal to the right of this news item.
We would like to add more articles from members and environmental health/public health colleagues to the Institute’s e- Newsletter. Topics can vary from nominating a colleague for a profile piece or to highlighting an environmental or public health issue. If there’s something interesting happening in your department or workplace, we want to know about it!
If you want to have an informal discussion with the editor then get in touch with Jim Thomson by email at jt@
The Summer 2013 edition of Environmental Health Scotland, the REHIS Journal, can be accessed by Members by clicking on the link Summer Journal 2013
The Health Protection Network (HPN), supported by Health Protection Scotland, has published updated guidance on rabies prophylaxis and management in humans in Scotland.
The guidance was originally issued in 2010 and was well received by colleagues throughout NHS Scotland, many of whom stated they felt colleagues in non-health protection roles, including GPs and frontline hospital staff, would also benefit from access to this guidance. As a result, we would welcome your support in sharing this guidance with your colleagues.
Updates in the 2013 guidance include:
The guidance offers clear, easy to follow advice on pre and post exposure immunisation as well as administration and financial arrangements for health professionals throughout NHS Scotland. The guidance is not intended to advise on clinical case management or animal handling, except where the latter affects the management of potential human exposure.
The guidance is attached and is also available at (http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/giz/guidelinedetail.aspx?id=46619 )
BSI, the UK’s National Standards Body, has just released for public consultation the draft of a European standard that will establish a benchmark for procurement and enable professional pest management companies to differentiate themselves in the market.
The total value of the UK pest control market is now approaching £350m, having grown despite the economic downturn.While all products used in the pest management industry are controlled by legislation, there is currently no common standard for the delivery of pest control services in the UK or Europe recognized by industry or consumers.
The new European standard has been developed by an expert panel comprising experts from across the European pest control industry, with major input from UK industry experts via a national BSI committee.
The draft EN 16636, Pest management services – Requirements and competences is available for comment until 4 November 2013 on BSI’s Draft Review System at http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/Details/51554
This is your chance to influence the development of a document that sets out the standard by which the pest control industry will be measured. The standard is expected to publish in the spring of 2015.
The FSA has recently published the findings of its research into domestic kitchen practices. The findings of the study, called Kitchen Life, offers for the first time detailed insights into what people actually do and why in UK kitchens, and will help to develop our thinking about how to reduce the burden of foodborne disease.
Click on the link Kitchen Life for details and further information.
The 2013 Scottish Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice will be presented in Edinburgh Zoo’s Budongo Theatre on Monday 2 September. Proceedings will commence at 4.30pm and Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, has been invited to make the presentations. Full information on the awards is available at www.thegreenorganisation.info/.
