Author: Sarah Groom

Food Standards Scotland have relaunched their Healthy Eating Tutorial, developed in collaboration with Public Health Scotland.

The tutorial serves as a helpful tool for those looking for an introduction to nutrition, and who may be required to provide healthy eating messages to others as part of their job, for example those working in health and social care, education, community groups, local authorities, retail, catering and food manufacturing. It may also be of interest to consumers who want to learn more about healthy eating.

Along with updated content and modules, the tutorial now carries Continual Professional Development (CPD) hours for REHIS CPD scheme – a score of 80% or more in the optional final assessment will receive a certificate for up to a maximum of 1.5 CPD hours.

The digital tool familiarises users with the Eatwell Guide and aims to demonstrate the importance of a healthy diet and what it’s comprised of; as well as outlining the advice and support available to achieve it. 

You can learn more and try it out here.

From 1 October 2022, all short-term let accommodation will need a licence, unless specifically excluded. This will ensure there is a mandatory set of standards that apply to all short-term lets across Scotland. 

The new licence is a legal obligation, even if hosts occasionally let out a spare room or sub-let while on holiday for example.  

The licensing scheme was developed in response to concerns raised by residents about the impact of short-term let properties on their local communities. It gives councils flexibility to develop licensing schemes that meet local needs, and sits alongside powers for councils to establish short-term let control areas.

To comply with the licence, hosts will be required to meet a set of mandatory conditions which apply across Scotland, plus any additional conditions set by their council.

Anyone operating as a host before 1 October has until 1 April 2023 to apply for a licence and can operate until their application has been determined. New hosts must obtain a licence before accepting bookings and welcoming guests to stay.

More information about the new licensing requirements and short-term let control areas can be found on the Scottish Government website.

Licence fees will vary depending on the local authority, size of property and type of let. Mandatory licence conditions can be found in Schedule 3 of the Licensing Order.

The Scottish Government has committed to working with local authorities, as well as organisations such as Airbnb, Booking.com and the Association of Scotland’s Self Caterers, to review levels of short-term let activity in hotspot areas next summer. This will help the Scottish Government to monitor the impact of these measures on the wider tourism sector, and to assess whether any further measures are required.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said:

“Our new licensing scheme will support responsible operators and give guests the confidence that their short-term let – be it a flat in Edinburgh, a property for a business trip to the Borders, or a cottage in the Highlands – meets the same set of safety standards.

“These new conditions include measures such as displaying an energy performance rating on listings, or securing valid buildings and public liability insurance. We know the vast majority of short-term lets businesses are already following these safety standards as a matter of best practice, and some are already required by existing legislation.

“We know short-term lets make a positive contribution to Scotland’s tourism industry and local economies, and these measures will allow them to continue doing just that while ensuring this is balanced with the needs of local residents and communities.

“The deadline for applications from existing hosts is 1 April, and I would urge all hosts and operators to contact your local authority as early as possible to learn how to apply.”

Malcolm Roughead, CEO at VisitScotland, said:

“The small accommodation sector is a key contributor to the economy and our high-quality and varied offering is one of the things that makes Scotland such a special destination.

“Through an Industry Advisory Group, we’ve been working closely with representatives from across the sector ahead of introduction of the licensing schemes.

“We’ll continue to give both new and established businesses the right advice to help them through the process of applying for a short-term let licence.”

Health and social care workers will no longer be required to test for COVID-19 every week as asymptomatic testing was paused on 28 September.

The four UK Chief Medical Officers agreed it is safe to halt weekly staff testing, visitor and carer testing and hospital admission testing following a change to the Covid-19 alert level and, importantly, a high uptake of vaccinations.

Stakeholders were informed of the change to the guidance on 14 September and some healthcare and social care settings may therefore choose to pause regular testing before the end of the month.

It is the latest restriction to be lifted in health and social care settings – following the decision earlier this month to remove the requirement for facemasks in social care homes.

Unpaid carers and visitors to care homes and hospitals will no longer need to undertake routine testing, but those planning to see family or friends in these settings are advised follow the ‘Covid Sense’ guidelines and steer clear if they are unwell.

Testing will remain in place for admissions into care homes and to support appropriate clinical diagnosis and treatment for hospital patients and care home residents.

Outbreak testing and symptomatic testing for healthcare workers in patient facing roles will also continue. Changes to testing will be kept under regular clinical review.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said:

“The huge success of our world-leading vaccination programme means we are now able to pause routine asymptomatic testing in most high-risk settings.

“This is the latest step in our return to normal life, but we must apply Covid Sense to keep these freedoms and ease the pressure on the NHS over winter.

“Vaccination remains our best line of defence against COVID-19 and I urge everyone who is eligible for the winter vaccination programme to take up the offer of an appointment when it’s offered.”

The latest annual report issued by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) for Scotland’s shows that Scottish Water’s compliance with the stringent standards for drinking water is high at 99.92%.

The report is now in its twentieth year and highlights compliance with standards has improved from 99.28% in 2002 to 99.92% in 2021. This may sound very marginal, but the number of failures of standards has decreased substantially at customers taps from over 1000 in 2002 to 110 in 2021.

In 2021, Scottish Water carried out a total of 290,849 regulatory tests on Scotland’s drinking water for which there is a standard, and many more for operational reasons such as following a burst main. Of the 136,455 tests taken to represent water at consumers taps 99.92% complied with the standards. In 2021 Scottish Water met its regulatory commitments regarding water sampling, and the data contained in this report shows a continued high level of compliance with standards.

A further 59,746 tests were carried out on water supplied from treatment works, and all but 24 of these tests met the required standards, an improvement on the previous year’s performance. 94,648 tests were also taken from service reservoirs, where treated water is stored. Compliance here was significantly improved on 2020.

The number of water quality events reported in 2021 was 855. Events of a more serious nature are categorised as water quality incidents, and in 2021, 31 events were declared to be incidents and were investigated by DWQR. There were a number of causes of water quality incidents, with significant loss of control of the water treatment process by far the largest category.

A full copy of Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 2021 is available here.

Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) has laid its proposed Strategic Plan before the Scottish Parliament for approval. 

Following ESS’s recent consultation, the revised Strategic Plan sets out how ESS will work over the next three years to carry out its role to scrutinise, investigate and then secure compliance with, and improvements to the effectiveness of, Scotland’s environmental laws.

You can read more about the Strategic Plan here.

Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) has issued an improvement report to the Scottish Government following its investigation into compliance with air quality limit values.

The report, published on 29 September 2022, sets out evidence of a continued failure in some areas of Scotland to meet statutory limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

The report also identifies weaknesses in the current operational and governance arrangements to improve local air quality and ensure future compliance with NO2 limit values.

In response to the report, the Scottish Government must prepare an improvement plan setting out how it intends to implement the recommendations in the report and present this to the Scottish Parliament for approval.

Key findings within the ESS report include:

• Air quality management areas (AQMAs) exist to focus efforts on improving air quality. In some areas, they have been in place for years;
• A number of local authority Air Quality Action Plans have not been reviewed for significant periods of time or have been published years after the declaration of the AQMA to which they relate;
• Concern that the local air quality management framework is not robust enough to provide a comprehensive picture of local air quality, particularly in and around our cities;
• Despite long term non-compliance with NO2 limit values, existing powers to direct local authorities to take action have not been used;
• The system of governance and oversight of air quality in Scotland is overly complex and opaque.

Mark Roberts, Chief Executive of ESS, said:

“Despite efforts to improve air quality, there are still areas of non-compliance with respect to nitrogen dioxide, and these are anticipated to continue in the future. Given the length of time which has passed since compliance should have been achieved, and the serious impacts poor air quality can have on public health, we have decided to issue this improvement report.

If the Scottish Government decides to keep pace with European Union plans to reduce limits for nitrogen dioxide further, we do not consider that the existing system will be capable of meeting these revised limits effectively and in the shortest time possible.”

You can read the full report, findings and recommendations here.

The Scottish Government has published its report on the Tightening rules on advertising and promoting vaping products consultation.

The consultation ran from 3 February 2022 to 29 April 2022 and sought views on proposed regulations which aim to strike a balance between protecting non-smokers and making information available to smokers. The responses and consultation analysis will help the Scottish Government to finalise the scope of these regulations.

The consultation attracted polarising views between two main groups:

• Smokers, ex-smokers, dual users (i.e. electronic cigarette users and cigarette smokers), and those who only use vape products and/or who know someone who uses vape products.
• Those who feel that current advertising and promotion of vaping products is too attractive/appealing to children, young people, and adult non-smokers. This includes parents/guardians, teachers, and those who work in a health setting.

A total of 757 validated responses were received to the consultation and the vast majority were from individuals – there were 43 organisational responses. Organisations that submitted a response include local government, health organisations, the tobacco industry, the vaping sector, and other organisations (e.g. those that sell tobacco and vaping related products).

Individual responses to closed questions in the consultation are typically split 50:50 (i.e. roughly the same proportion of individuals support the Scottish Government proposals as those individuals who do not support the proposals).

In terms of organisation respondents, those who support the proposals outlined in the consultation document are in the main local government and health organisations. Those organisations who are less likely to support the proposals are the vaping sector, tobacco industry, and other organisations (e.g. those that sell tobacco and vaping related products).

Legislation passed in 2016 Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 (legislation.gov.uk) allows for the Minister to lay regulations before Scotland’s Parliament to enact some domestic e-cigarette advertising provisions.   

The September e-newsletter has been issued. If you subscribe to receive the e-newsletter you will have already received this.

REHIS News

The Institute was saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Jackie McCabe, Chief Executive was honoured to receive an invitation, on behalf of the Institute, to attend the Service of Reflection and Thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh. 

Autumn sees our calendar of events start to increase with numerous CPD opportunities coming up. The Environmental Health Update (free to members) and Annual General meeting is being held as a hybrid event on Friday 18 November from the Edinburgh Training and Conference Centre for ‘in person’ delegates and online via MS Teams for those who wish to attend remotely.

Planning is well underway for a number of other professional courses and updates in the next couple of months, including training on Dog Control legislation, Pollution Update, Health and Safety Update, Environmental Public Health and Housing Update. The Northern and Southern Centres also have upcoming training events. Look out for more details and booking forms on the Events page of the website.

The Institute Professional Examinations took place on 13 & 14 September at the Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline. Those newly qualified professionals, recipients of the REHIS Diploma in Environmental Health or the SFSORB Higher Certificate in Food Practice, will be officially presented with their awards at the Annual Forum in Spring 2023.

Hopefully all members have had the opportunity to browse the new website and we would ask you to note the new means of recording CPD in the members only section, which allows electronic addition of evidence for CPD activities and will allow for electronic submission at the end of the year. Entries can be added at anytime and are held on the system until you are ready to submit. REHIS Approved Training Centres can now register courses and request packs via the website, including the new Licensing courses. Results from courses can also be submitted via the website.

Another piece of news we wish to share with you is that we will be recruiting for a couple of positions within the Institute. The first being a job share for the Director of Professional Development to work with Karen Keeley who is reducing her hours. The DPD role is key to the Institute, and we will be looking for a Chartered EHO or an EHO member working towards Chartered status. Carol Campbell, our Training Administrative Assistant is retiring at the end of the year.  Carol’s role is fundamental to Community Training and includes the preparation and issuing of course packs and processing candidate certificates. We are very sorry to see Carol go and wish her all the very best in her retirement. Details of both vacancies will be available very shortly on the Institute’s website.

Finally, we would like to thank all members who completed the recent membership survey. We are currently working our way through the responses. The information gathered will help us continue making improvements to the work of the Institute and will form part of the strategic objectives for the next three years.

Did you know that the Institute has many Elementary Food Hygiene and Health and Safety course materials and exam papers translated into various languages.  These include Polish, Chinese, Urdu, Arabic and very recently in Ukrainian.  Contact the Director of Training for more information.

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, published by the House of Commons, seeks to revoke over 2,400 pieces of EU legislation that were included in the UK statute book at the end of the Brexit transition period.

Retained EU Law is a category of domestic law created at the end of the transition period and consists of EU-derived legislation that was preserved in the domestic legal framework by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

The Bill will sunset the majority of retained EU law so that it expires on 31st December 2023. All retained EU law contained in domestic secondary legislation and retained direct EU legislation will expire on this date, unless otherwise preserved. Any retained EU law that remains in force after the sunset date will be assimilated in the domestic statute book, by the removal of the special EU law features previously attached to it. 

Before that date, Government departments and the devolved administrations require to determine which retained EU law can expire, and which needs to be preserved and incorporated into domestic law.

The Bill includes an extension mechanism for the sunset of specified pieces of retained EU law until 2026. Should it be required, this will allow departments additional time where necessary to assess whether some retained EU law should be preserved.

In Scotland food regulation has been driven by the EU. There are over 50 separate EU Directives and Regulations alone that govern food standards in the UK. 

The Retained EU law currently enforces food businesses to maintain minimum levels of hygiene in addition to providing clear information on food labelling.

The FSS believe the Bill, which was published on 22 September 2022, would result in the removal of consumer protections relating to food which have previously applied in Scotland and the rest of the UK for many years.

In order to preserve these same standards in law, FSS will be required to act which would require a substantial resource in an extraordinarily short timeframe. FSS warns that hard pressed resources will now have to be devoted to introducing new law to maintain existing law to protect Scottish consumers.

Even if high legal standards continued to apply in Scotland, the agency says that the Internal Market Act means there would be no way of preventing goods produced under lower legal standards from elsewhere in the UK being sold in Scotland.

The Internal Market Act, introduced in 2020, was opposed by the FSS due to significant concerns voiced by the agency that were ignored.

Heather Kelman, Chair of FSS, commented: “At the heart of what we do, is our responsibility to protect Scottish consumers. This Bill, as it currently stands, poses a significant risk to Scotland’s ability to uphold the high safety and food standards which the public expects and deserves.  

“Much of the legislation which could be repealed as a result of the sun-setting clause has been developed over the course of decades and with significant UK input and influence. It exists to ensure  consumer safety through the protection of the most vulnerable and ensuring the food and feed which is on the market is safe.

“This Bill could lead to a significant hole where consumer protections sit. The purpose of regulators and regulations, especially in relation to food, is to protect consumers. This Bill confuses ‘red tape’ with consumer protection and indicates that the latter is now less of a priority and of less importance than when we were in the EU.

“Whichever way consumers voted on Brexit, they did not vote for a race to the bottom of lower standards and a de-regulated landscape that reduces consumer protection. We cannot imagine that this is what the UK Government intends.”

Every year, 26 September is marked as World Environmental Health Day across the globe.

World Environmental Health Day is observed to raise awareness regarding the significance of the health of our environment.

The theme for the 2022 is “Strengthening Environmental Health Systems for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity now and in the future.

The 17 SDGs are integrated – they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability, all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

The mission statement of the United Nations on SDGs is as follows:
“A blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people and the world by 2030.”

Environmental Health plays a pivotal role in the implementation of these SDGs. It is interesting to note that Environmental Health fits into 7 SDGs, 19 targets and 30 indicators of the SDGs.

For more information about the day and how it is being celebrated across the Globe see here. 

Pollution caused by industrial emissions is set to be reduced and environmental performance improved under a new framework of regulation that will better protect our air, water and land.

The UK’s new Best Available Techniques framework will enable regulators and industry to work together to identify and apply up to date, challenging standards when it comes to reducing harmful emissions.

Under the permits granted by environmental regulators to industrial facilities – such as textile and chemical industries – businesses must use the best techniques available to them to prevent or minimise emissions and their impacts on the environment.

The new framework will see the UK government and Devolved Administrations (the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and DAERA) working with industry and local councils to identify these methods – known as ‘Best Available Techniques’ (BAT) – from across the UK’s largest industries. This process includes agreeing and setting emissions limits within environmental permits and determining the types of technologies and methods operators should use to reduce their environmental impact.

Building on existing levels of environmental protection, it aims to develop higher standards for industrial emissions, as the UK moves away from the EU’s regulatory framework towards one that better caters to UK businesses and the wellbeing of local communities. The collaborative approach will also give industry greater certainty to support investment that will drive forward innovation in cleaner technologies.

A new governance structure will also be established, with new independent bodies – called the Standards Council and the Regulators Group – consisting of government officials and expert regulators from all four nations of the UK. A UK Air Quality Governance Group will also be established to oversee the work of the Standards Council and the delivery of the requirements under this new framework. Interested parties from industry, academia and civil society will be able to engage in the running of the BAT system through an advisory group being set up by the UK BAT Team.

Scotland is to be part of a UK-wide consultation on proposed amendments to the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998, which requires the addition of certain nutrients to non-wholemeal wheat flour to protect public health.

The 12-week consultation, which launched on 1 September, is being led by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in collaboration with The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Wales and Northern Ireland (NI).

The consultation seeks views on proposals to make adjustments to the nutrients currently added to non-wholemeal wheat flour, and the addition of folic acid, with the aim of improving public health outcomes for Scotland and the wider UK population.

The addition of folic acid to help reduce the incidence of foetal neural tube defects follows a previous consultation and an agreement by the Scottish Government, UK Government and devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland, to proceed with its mandatory fortification.

The package of proposals being put forward will lead to improved public health, support UK industry, assist enforcement authorities and protect consumers.

You can find out more about the details of the consultation and take part by visiting the DEFRA website. The consultation closes on 23 November.