Author: Peacock Carter

Successfully running for the 7th year,Brownfield Briefing’s annual legislation conference will return to Glasgow this month.Respected industry speakers provide an in-depth look at the key changes in brownfield regulation and legislation, providing lawyers, regulators, developers, local authorities, consultants and other professionals in the brownfield industry with all the updates that will affect them over the next twelve months. Date – 28 Jan 2009 Venue – Glasgow For more information please contact us on conference@newzeye.com, or call 020 8969 1008. Click here for a brochure

Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health and Sport, has announced measures aimed at protecting future generations from the devastating health effects of smoking. In legislation published yesterday cigarette vending machines and tobacco displays in shops are set to be consigned to history in Scotland as part of radical measures designed to reduce child smoking. Among the measures included in the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill are the •banning of cigarette vending machines •banning of tobacco displays in shops •introduction of a registration scheme for retailers •introduction of powers to issue fixed penalty notices for retailers who sell cigarettes to under 18s •introduction of banning orders to prevent retailers selling cigarettes who continually break the law. Smoking in public places in Scotland was banned on March 26 2006 and on October 1 2007 the minimum age for buying cigarettes was raised to 18. REHIS has an excellent record of support for measures introduced to control tobacco in Scotland and fully supports the introduction of the Bill. Full information on the introduction of the Bill is available on the Scottish Government’s website www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009.

HEALTH is paramount to the success of the food and drink industry. As a result, the 2009 joint REHIS/Scottish Food and Drink Federation(SFDF)/Institute of Food Science and Technology(IFST) symposium ‘Healthy Routes to Profit’ has been organised for the food industry, educational and training organisations and local authority environmental health service. This is the 7th joint symposium run by the Institute, SFDF and IFST. The event attracts representatives from all parts of the food and drink industry, government and its agencies and the enforcement community. The events are well received by delegates with feedback from the 2008 event including: “Subject matter excellent and varied”, “high quality meeting”, “very well organised and informative” and “good range of knowledgeable speakers”. Taking place on 12th May at the Apex City Quay Hotel,Dundee, this timely event considers a number of issues that are top of everyone’s priority lists. This includes processing efficiency, ethical marketing, reading behind the label, reformulation and innovations in healthy food development. Speakers from the Food Standards Agency, Marks & Spencer, industry advisory agencies and Scottish food research and academic bodies feature on the agenda and will be interspersed with inspiring industry case studies featuring small and large Scottish food manufacturers. A programme and registration form is attached but if you require further information please contact: Joan Creelman Scottish Food and Drink Federation (SFDF) 4a Torphichen Street Edinburgh EH3 8JQ t. 0131 229 9415 f. 0131 229 9407 e. joan.creelman@sfdf.org.uk Full details, including a detailed agenda and booking form are also be available at www.sfdf.org.uk

Health Protection Scotland and the Scottish Agricultural College have re-issued their E. coli O157 advice to help rural residents and visitors reduce the risk of E. coli O157 infection from countryside exposures. Full information is available on the HPS website at www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/giz/wrdetail.aspx?id=40991. Footnote: Information on E. coli O157, including a link to new Guidance on the Public Health Management of VTEC in Scotland, and a surveillance report with provisional figures for 2008, can also be found on the HPS website.

Health and Safety Update Course, 6 October, Stirling (to be confirmed) Food Update Course, 7 October, Stirling (to be confirmed) Annual Seminar for Trainers, 21 October, Dundee REHIS/SFSORB Professional Examinations, 3, 4 and 5 November, Edinburgh Annual Awards Ceremony, 18 November (evening), Edinburgh Environmental Health Update Event, 19 November (am), Edinburgh Annual General Meeting, 19 November (pm), Edinburgh.

The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) in partnership with ASH Scotland are for the first time presenting the Crofton Award, recognising the contribution that young people in Scotland make towards reducing the harm caused by tobacco. Applications are welcomed before 21 October 2009 for a chance to win the award, including a £1,000 first place prize, to be used to further develop the work which is awarded. Both organisations are delighted to support the first Crofton Award, which will recognise the contribution that young people in Scotland make to tackle the harm caused by tobacco use and smoking.

20 January 2010 was the 135^th anniversary of the establishment of the Sanitary Inspectors’ Association of Scotland – the Association is the original forebear of today’s Institute! The Association then became The Sanitary Association of Scotland in 1878, The Incorporated Sanitary Association of Scotland in 1902 and finally The Royal Sanitary Association of Scotland (RSAS) in 1924. The RSAS joined with The Scottish Institute of Environmental Health to form REHIS in 1983. The Management Committee is currently considering a number of proposals on how best to mark this important milestone.

The attention of environmental health professionals is drawn to the recently issued Health Protection Agency (HPA), LACORS and HSE note for local authorities in England, Wales and N. Ireland. The note, Understanding and Managing the Risks from E.coli O157 in an Open Farm Context, has been produced following the outbreak of E. coli O157 at Godstone Farm in England last year. As advised in the Health Protection Scotland (HPS) Weekly Report dated 24 March 2010 (Volume 44 No. 2010/12) the Scottish Government and HPS are currently planning further work around E.coli O157 including the establishment of an expert group. This work will take account of the Godstone Farm investigation as well as other relevant ongoing inquiries from across the UK. The HPA, LACoRS and HSE note can be accessed via the following link. www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1267551713479?p=1259152466069

REHIS has launched an International Essay Competition. REHIS, a Founder Member of the International Federation of Environmental Health, celebrated its 135^th birthday earlier this year and has marked the occasion by inviting undergraduate and postgraduate students on Environmental Health programmes accredited by member organisations of the Federation to participate in an essay competition. The set essay topic will be: How would you raise the profile of environmental health and make its delivery more relevant to government and policy makers over the next five years? This is a REHIS award and the Institute aims to raise the profile of international environmental health issues, encourage student Environmental Health Professionals to consider Environmental Health in a global perspective, and promote the work of the Federation as the global umbrella organisation for environmental health. Full details attached.

Tom Bell

Chief Executive

Call for Papers

Papers are invited on subjects related to the programme, see attached flyer, for oral and poster presentations. Please download an abstract template from the website, and note the closing dates of 30th November 2010 – oral and 31st March 2011 – poster

The FIPS 2011 conference which will be held on the 6th-8th June 2011 at the Edinburgh Conference Centre is designed to address existing and emerging issues in environmental microbiology which offer exciting new challenges in microbiology, public health and environmental science which will assist in monitoring and modeling environmental systems to protect human health, animal welfare and environmental quality. These are central to trends in regulation and management of microbial dynamics through cultural and molecular methods, real-time prediction and proactive health protection. The challenges to the science and operational communities are significant but offer new opportunities for interdisciplinary investigation and research to offer useful and sustainable solutions to emerging challenges for our diverse and growing community.

EUCEN – the European Association for University Lifelong Learning – is looking for collaborators to evaluate the recently developed new module on Food Safety, as part of DOLCETA (www.dolceta.eu), an interactive web-based consumer education tool financed by the European Commission. The website has been set up in 21 languages and 27 different versions for each EU Member State and consists of different modules on consumer rights, financial literacy and services, product safety, sustainable consumption and food safety. See attached document for more information and contact details. The deadline for applications is 17 December 2010

The first meeting of the 2011 Management Committee was convened, under the chairmanship of Paul Bradley, at the Institute’s office in Edinburgh on Wednesday 12 January. The committee has delegated responsibility for the Council’s powers and duties for general financial matters, public and media relations, premises and equipment, Annual Conference and for staffing. The committee meets four times each year and is chaired by the Senior Vice-President. 

Photo

The Management Committee (from left to right) Colin Wallace, Alistair Thomson, Rod House, Paul Bradley, Martin Keeley and Bernard Forteath. Hon. Treasurer Martin Henry missed the photo call.