Category: News Item

Focus Games have launched a new digital platform ZeST to allow their games to be played as group games on Zoom, MS Teams, etc. and they have just added a version of the Food Hygiene game with a 4 month FREE trial www.zestfocus.com

Food Standards Scotland have updated its guidance for food business operators (FBOs) and their employees on 19 October. It aims to assist all businesses in the food and drink sector in following government guidance on infection prevention and control measures against COVID-19. It has been produced with input from the food industry and Trade Unions and reflects the most up to date advice from Scottish and UK Government and Health Protection Scotland.

A summary of the changes in the update are as follows:

• Addition of mandatory wearing of face coverings in workplace canteens and indoor communal areas. Regulatory details and dates added.

In addition, the COVID-19 risk assessment tool for food business operations and COVID-19 summary checklist for restarting food businesses have also been updated to reflect the above information.

Food Standards Scotland has launched a consultation on the implementation of improved allergen labelling on food sold prepacked for direct sale. i.e. food that is packed before being offered for sale by the same food business to the final consumer. e.g. sandwiches placed into packaging by the food business and sold from the same premises.

The aim of the consultation is to seek views from food businesses, enforcement authorities, consumers and other stakeholders on proposed amendments to the Food Information (Scotland) Regulations 2014 and draft technical guidance on providing allergen information for food. The consultation also asks questions to develop our information on costs and benefits and also explore the risks in moving to labelling foods with the name of the food and ingredients information and what can be done to mitigate the risks.

Full details are available here and the consultation runs until 4 December 2020.

Public Health Scotland have launched their first Strategic Plan: ‘A Scotland where everybody thrives’.

The 2020-2023 plan outlines the public health agency's vision, who they are, how they will work, their focus, and how they will show impact.

It sets out a vision of how they will work together to make Scotland a place where everybody thrives. A Scotland where healthy life expectancy increases, where the nation’s health is protected and where health inequalities are a thing of the past.

Public Health Scotland is Scotland’s lead national agency for improving and protecting the health and wellbeing of all of Scotland’s people. It has now published its first Strategic Plan, covering the three-year period from 2020 to 2023, called ‘A Scotland where everybody thrives’.

You can watch a video about the Public Health Scotland Strategic Plan 2020-2023 here.

You can download a copy of the Public Health Scotland Strategic Plan 2020-2023 here.

Professor Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director of the Scottish Government has kindly contributed a video response for our first in the series of articles titled COVID Diaries. 

Professor Jason Leitch discusses his work during the pandemic and also gives an insight into the importance that Environmental Health has played during the pandemic and has to play on an ongoing basis.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged smartphone users across Scotland to download NHS Scotland’s new contact tracing app to help suppress the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Protect Scotland app is now available to download for free via Apple and Google stores.

The app focuses solely on proximity tracing. If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, they will be sent a unique code to their mobile. If they give permission, the data will then be sent to a server so close contacts also using the app can be notified by text and advised to self-isolate.

Supported by a dedicated Protect Scotland website, the app is an extra tool complementing existing person-to-person contact tracing which remains the main component of NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system.

Individual's privacy will be protected as the app uses bluetooth technology to anonymously alert users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and advises them to self-isolate. Users of the app who test positive will still get a call from a contact tracer to confirm their details and who they have been in close contact with.

The app does not store details on an individual or their location but uses encrypted, anonymised codes exchanged between smartphones to determine all close contacts. Close contacts are defined as people who have been within two metres of someone who has tested positive for at least 15 minutes.

Built by software developers NearForm for NHS Scotland, the app uses the same technology as the Republic of Ireland and Northern Irish proximity tracing apps.

Sign up is entirely voluntary but strongly recommended for those with compatible smartphones. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“The launch of the app is a welcome development which will offer an additional level of protection – supporting NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system as it works to drive down the spread of COVID-19 across the country.

“I would encourage everyone to download the free app if they have a compatible smartphone, and help slow the spread of COVID-19.  This will support the work of NHS Scotland and has the potential to help avoid local lockdowns. 

“The more people who download and use the app, the more effective it can be in helping to make connections that may otherwise have been missed. This will allow people to self-isolate quickly if they are exposed to the virus, reducing the risk of them infecting others.

“We all have a part to play in suppressing the virus, and downloading the app – alongside other vital measures such as following hygiene and physical distancing guidance – will help protect you, your family and your community.

“We also know that not everyone uses a smartphone or will be able to or want to access the app, which is why this software is very much there to complement existing contact tracing methods.”

The Scottish Government COVID-19 sector guidance for tourism and hospitality has now been updated with the addition of Frequently Asked Questions.

The questions and answers are aimed at providing further clarity to hospitality businesses following publication of Scottish Government sectoral guidance, and subsequent statutory guidance including additional measures for the hospitality sector. 

It is not separate to government guidance but designed to complement it and further the understanding of what businesses need to consider and do, to ensure they are operating safely and within the legal requirements.

The questions and answers have been prepared through cooperation between Environmental Health Officers and industry. 

It will be updated as more information becomes available.

Current restrictions due to Covid-19 mean that face to face training courses, meetings and events are not currently being held but this does not prevent the achievement of CPD. 

Many professionals will have been on a steep learning curve this year, with the introduction of Covid-19 related legislation and a need to understand the appropriate risks and controls.  

Continuing Professional Development includes various means of learning and development and can be online learning, ‘on the job’ learning, attendance at virtual events/meetings, researching a particular piece of work or reading appropriate journals/reports. A certificate of attendance is one method of evidencing CPD, but needn't be the only format and, for example, if you read relevant journals, investigate a particular topic, complete a short course, the evidence for this could be writing a few sentences about what you learned.

There are various on line learning opportunities, including through events advertised on the REHIS website, by accessing ‘events’ on the home page and ‘other agency events’ when there are no suitable REHIS events; through the Open University OpenLearn where there are numerous free courses; through Food Standards Scotland online allergy course; or learn about the international perspective and many Universities offer free short courses, and if you are able to pay, then individual modules are often available for enrolment.

If you are registered for access to the member’s only section of the website, CPD summary records can be maintained ‘as you go’ so when it comes to the end of the year, it simply needs to be printed, signed and evidence attached.

If there are any queries on CPD submissions or Chartered EHO status, or members wish to register for the members only section of the website, please email contact@.

REHIS partner, ASH Scotland, along with another nine of Scotland’s biggest health charities, is launching a manifesto highlighting the need for action on the prevention of Non Communicable Disease (NCD) (such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and lung disease).  

The report looks at the impact of tobacco, obesity and alcohol on the health of Scotland and proposes a focus on taking action at a population-level to further drive down the impact these risk factors are having on Scotland’s health, particularly in its most deprived communities.

Ahead of next year’s Scottish Parliament elections, the charities are calling on all of Scotland’s political parties to commit to bold action to prevent NCD’s.

You can read the manifesto here.

Louise Cunningham, Team Manager – Environmental Protection, Aberdeenshire Council and Senior Vice-President for the REHIS Council.  Louise's contribution discusses how the pandemic has raised the profile of the Environmental Health profession and how positive changes can be made from the digital transformation for working. 

1.         Describe your work before the pandemic? 

Prior to the pandemic I was Team Manager for South Aberdeenshire and lead for Environmental Protection within Aberdeenshire Council and Senior Vice President at REHIS. 

I would travel regularly to Edinburgh to chair the REHIS Management Committee,  and to attend council and other committee meetings. 

2.         What have you been doing since the pandemic started? 

Since the pandemic started, all staff shifted to working from home automatically. We are very fortunate in Aberdeenshire that we were already well equipped with the IT and systems that support home working. We recognised quite early on that our current geographical set up didn’t suit the challenges being faced by the Service whilst we were based at home. The Service therefore transformed from having generalist officers to three specialist workstreams – Covid, Food and Environmental Protection, in addition to assisting with contact tracing for a couple of months over the Summer. 

I’ve led the Environmental Protection team, overseeing the day job and normal demands expected by the Service. I have also assisted with a number of webinars that we hosted to assist our hospitality premises keep abreast with the number of changes to guidance and legislation, these have since been uploaded to YouTube, another first for our Service! 

3.         What are/were the challenges? 

The challenges remain significant, personally the first couple of months of the pandemic were the most surreal, not only was the work something I had never imagined, I had to postpone my wedding with 12 weeks’ notice and become accustomed to Zoom to catch up with family who live in the central belt. 

Engaging with my team has also been a challenge, as we are a sociable bunch and having to rely on technology for this has been difficult. I know they are missing Friday scones!

Looking forward, the uncertainty remains the biggest challenge for everyone, both professionally and personally, wondering when this becomes the ‘new normal’. However, with challenge, comes opportunity. There has never been a more opportunistic time for the profession to demonstrate the skills and professionalism at the core of the front-line response to protecting the public health of Scotland, and I couldn’t be prouder for the way the profession has stepped up to the challenges, liaising with Scottish Government, NHS, colleagues in local authority and the business community. 

4.         Do you think any of these changes will last beyond the pandemic period? 

I do hope that the digital transformation within REHIS, since the start of the pandemic, is taken forward as an opportunity for the Institute. Not only has it significantly reduced our spending on travel and had a positive impact on climate change, it has been proven to support the effective operation of the Institute, whilst also being more accessible to those living and working in various geographical locations. 

I don’t necessarily see a return to working from offices being the default work format, and I must say I think professionally, we have worked well from home. There is an additional level of flexibility and enhanced work life balance, where the discipline is there to maximise this. 

One in eight deaths in Europe are linked to pollution, according to a new report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). 

The report ‘Healthy environment, healthy lives: how the environment influences health and well-being in Europe said factors such as air and noise pollution, as well as poor water quality and exposure to chemicals, contributed to 13% of all deaths.

The report, which draws extensively on data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlights how the quality of Europe’s environment plays a key role in determining our health and wellbeing. 

It found that air pollution is one of Europe’s top environmental threats to health, with more than 400,000 premature deaths driven by air pollution every single year. Noise pollution comes second, contributing to 12 000 premature deaths, followed by the impacts of climate change, notably heatwaves.

The burden of pollution and climate change varies across Europe, with 27% of national deaths attributable to the environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 9% in Iceland and Norway.

Socially deprived communities are more likely to be exposed to higher levels of pollution, and therefore struggle under a triple burden of poverty, poor quality environments and ill health. 

The report has also highlighted that although the evidence is not yet conclusive, early research has suggested that air pollution and poverty may be linked to higher death rates from COVID-19. 

It also stresses that an integrated approach to environment and health policies is essential in order to tackle environmental health risks and protect the most vulnerable.

Protecting nature is key in the delivery of public health benefits, reducing disease and fostering good health and well-being.

The First Minister (FM) has announced further coronavirus measures and also additional resources for additional Environmental Health Officers at her coronavirus (COVID-19) update speech on 22 September 2020.

The FM stated that the Scottish Government will be providing resources for additional Environmental Health Officers in order for local authorities to significantly step up inspection and enforcement in the hospitality trade to ensure compliance with rules in the sector.

Further measures to protect the population from the spread of COVID-19 were also announced by the First Minister as Scotland faces an upsurge in cases.

The new restrictions focus on no household visits and a 10pm closing time for all hospitality settings.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that this action is necessary in order to prevent a resurgence in community transmission of the virus and the potential for a rapid return to the pressures the NHS experienced earlier in the year.

Measures include:

Inside people’s homes 

• Do not meet people from any other households in your home or another person’s home socially, unless they are in your extended household
• These rules also apply to children
• Children whose parents do not live in the same household can move between homes, as can non-cohabiting couples
• Very limited exemptions apply for childcare, and for tradespeople

Private gardens or public outdoors spaces

• A maximum of six people from two households can meet in outdoor spaces
• You should limit as far as possible the total number of households you meet in a day
• Under-12s do not count towards the maximum number of households or number of people who can meet outdoors. Under-12s do not have to physically distance
• A maximum of six 12 to 17 year olds can meet in outdoor spaces, with no household limit. Physical distancing is still required

Indoors in public spaces 

• A maximum of six people from two households can meet in public indoor spaces such as cafes, pubs and restaurants
• Children under 12 from those two households do not count towards the limits
• From 00:01 Friday 25 September, pubs, restaurants and all hospitality settings will be required to close at 10pm
• Table service will continue to be required in all hospitality premises

Car sharing

• You should only car share with members of your own, or extended, household, and follow guidance when there is no alternative

Working

• You must continue to work from home where practicable

These restrictions will be reviewed within three weeks and further guidance will made available where necessary.

The First Minister said:

“It is worth stressing that because of the collective sacrifices we all made to drive infection levels down over the summer, the growth in cases is from a low base and – at this stage – far less rapid than in March. I want to thank the people of Scotland for their cooperation, forbearance and the sacrifices they have made – but these measures are essential in ensuring we do not let this virus get out of control again.

“While these measures are tough, we believe they can make a significant difference while keeping our schools, public services and as many businesses open as far as possible.

“Early data suggests that restrictions currently in place in west central Scotland are starting to slow the increase of cases. So by extending household restrictions nationwide now, in an early and preventative way, we hope it will help to bring the R number down and the virus back under control.

On hospitality measures, the First Minister said:

“I want to thank those businesses that are making huge efforts to ensure compliance. However, I want to be clear with the hospitality trade about this. Notwithstanding the economic implications, further restrictions – including possible closure – will be unavoidable if the rules within pubs and restaurants on hygiene, face coverings, maximum numbers in groups, and the distance between them are not fully complied with.”