Category: News Item

Clean Air Day is the UK's largest air pollution campaign, engaging thousands of people at hundreds of events, and reaching millions more through the media. The campaign normally takes place on the third Thursday in June. 

However, due to COVID-19, this year Clean Air Day is taking place on 8 October 2020, will be rolled out slightly differently and has been updated so more of the campaign is virtual.

Clean Air Day Scotland is brought to you by Global Action Plan working in partnership with Environmental Protection Scotland, bringing together communities, businesses, schools and the health sector to:

• Improve public understanding of air pollution.
• Build awareness of how air pollution affects our health.
• Explain the easy actions we can all do to tackle air pollution, helping to protect the environment and our health.

To celebrate Clean Air Day Environmental Protection Scotland (EPS) are hosting the first in a series of three webinars exploring the concept of Place, find out more here.

Find out more about Clean Air Day Scotland and how to celebrate it here. 

Every year, air pollution causes up to 36,000 deaths in the UK.  The World Health Organisation and the UK Government recognise that air pollution is the largest environmental health risk we face today. Poor air quality causes heart and lung diseases, is linked to low birth weight and children’s lung development and may even contribute to mental health issues. 

World Environmental Health Day was launched by the IFEH Council at its meeting in Indonesia on the 26 September 2011. Every year since 2011 this date has been earmarked to celebrate as World Environmental Health Day with a particular theme, celebrating an environmental health issue Worldwide. 

The 2020 theme is “Environmental Health, a key public health intervention in disease pandemic prevention”, which aims to demonstrate how those working in the field of environmental health are playing a vital role in response to the outbreak of disease pandemics all over the world. Environmental Health professionals worldwide play a role in disaster preparedness and response, investigate outbreaks of infectious diseases and prevent it from spreading any further.

On 26 September, REHIS will be marking World Environmental Health Day by raising awareness of the role of the Environmental Health Officer by promoting a series of articles titled ‘COVID DIARIES’ where various members of the Institute and those leading in the field of public health answer questions based on work being carried out during the pandemic. 

These will be on the website and through our Twitter page @rehisscotland. Follow us and help celebrate World Environmental Health Day!

The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland welcomes the First Minister’s statement to the Scottish Parliament this afternoon on further measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s decision to commit resources to Scottish local authorities for additional Environmental Health Officers, in order that local authorities significantly step up inspection and enforcement, to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Scotland is especially welcome.

The pandemic has certainly raised the profile of Environmental Health and never has there been a better time to attract, educate, and train more people for the profession than there is today.

Environmental Health Officers in Scotland have prepared a supplementary questions and answers document for hospitality businesses to provide further clarification of the Scottish Government sectoral guidance for COVID-19. They have been prepared in cooperation with industry and the Scottish Government.

The document 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.

As we move through Scotland’s route-map, guidance is being regularly reviewed and updated. It remains a gradual process and while the hospitality sector has made significant progress to date with reopening outdoor and indoor areas, and with reduced physical distancing to one metre, it's not yet business as usual.

A high level of caution and awareness is essential in order to avoid any set-backs. The Scottish Government does not want to keep restrictions in place a moment longer than is necessary, but safety must come first. Businesses are therefore requested to maintain the excellent work that has been undertaken so far and to continue working with authorities to build on that progress. 

The document will be updated as more information becomes available. 

REHIS partner, ASH Scotland, along with another nine of Scotland’s biggest health charities are launching a manifesto highlighting the need for action on the prevention of Non Communicable 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.

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) for Scotland’s latest annual report for public and private water supplieshave been published.

The annual report for public water supplies shows that Scottish Water’s compliance with the stringent standards for drinking water remains high at 99.92%. However, the annual report for private water supplies show a significant number do not meet the required drinking water standards. 

The Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 requires DWQR to publish an annual report describing the Regulator’s activities during the preceding year. This report summarises data on water quality in public and private supplies across Scotland, as well as covering water quality events and incidents, consumer contacts to Scottish Water and DWQR activities throughout the year

The public water supplies report, covering Drinking Water Quality in Scotland during 2019, states that a total of 310,605 regulatory tests were carried out on Scotland’s drinking water last year.

Scottish Water take and analyse samples of drinking water from treatment works, storage points and customers taps throughout the year. Of those taken from samples at consumers’ taps, 99.92% met the required standards, a slight improvement on last year and consistent with previous years.

For regulated private water supplies a total of 48,384 tests were taken in 2019, which are those supplying more than 50 people or a commercial activity. 

89.8 per cent of tests met the required standard, but 14.5% of these supplies had a sample that contained E.coli, which indicates faecal contamination and potentially causes serious illness. Compliance figures have not improved in recent years, and the 2019 results actually represent a deterioration on 2018 for many types of test. In 2018, 11% of samples contained E.coli.

Private water supplies are those owned and managed by individuals rather than Scottish Water and around 3.3 per cent of the Scottish population receive their water from them. The supplies range from those serving a single house to much larger numbers of houses as well as hotels, tourist accommodation and other businesses. Many of the very small types of supplies have little or no treatment and where water from these supplies does not meet the standards, there may be a risk to the health of those drinking from them.

According to the latest report from Scotland’s Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR), a significant number do not meet the required drinking water standards and almost certainly represent a risk to health.

Food Standards Scotland have updated its guidance for food business operators (FBOs) and their employees on 28 August. 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:

• Update to advice relating to individuals who were shielding and those at increased risk of infection
• Addition of extra questions
• Removal of dates regarding implementation of mandatory wearing of face coverings
• Addition of increased cleaning as an additional mitigation measure for hospitality businesses moving from 2m to 1m distancing
• Addition of link to Q&A for hospitality businesses
• Addition of text highlighting mandatory requirements for the hospitality sector to collect customer information 

Former Chief Executive, Tom Bell is delighted to inform you that, following interview, Jackie McCabe has been appointed to the role of Chief Executive of the Institute. Jackie will take up her new post from 1 September 2020.

Congratulations to Jackie, we wish her all the best in her new role.

The Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland (SoCOEHS)  and the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) have launched an information video showing the work, so far, carried out by teams in Regulatory Services of Local Authorities in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. The two Societies, along with Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive established a National Expert Group to co-ordinate the Scottish enforcement community response and their work continues.

Environmental Health Officers have been involved with helping contain a number of coronavirus clusters across Scotland.

They have been supporting Incident management teams, providing support and guidance to businesses to make sure they comply with regulations, contacting premises who have had a confirmed case as well taking a central role on the Test and Protect approach.

In Perthshire, the 2 Sisters food processing plant in Coupar Angus has been closed on Monday 17 August after four members of staff tested positive for the virus. All workers were asked to self-isolate for two weeks and get tested.

An incident management team is working with the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and local environmental health teams to provide advice and support.

Meanwhile in the central belt in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have released statements on a cluster in North-East Glasgow, with a number of cases whom are pupils at Bannerman High School in Baillieston.

NHSGGC has confirmed that there is no evidence of transmission within the schools themselves. Local environmental health staff are working closely with the schools and a number of other local businesses to contact trace any close contacts of the cases and appropriate advice is being advice given to these individuals.

In Aberdeen, a timeline has been set out for lifting the local lockdown with restaurants, pubs, casinos and other hospitality premises, being able to open from Wednesday 26 August. The premises are only allowed to open once an environmental health check has been completed. Hospitality business owners are being now being urged to get in touch with Aberdeen City Council if they have not already had an environmental health check.

These examples show some of the hard work that Environmental Health are providing to help us keep safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following reports of recent clusters indoor hospitality settings such as bars and restaurant, the First Minister has announced new legislation for local authorities to be given the power to act in respect of individual, specific premises that are breaching guidelines and risking transmission of the virus.

In addition, the Scottish Government intends to give the police new powers to break up and disperse large indoor gatherings.

Regulations will be laid next week with the intention they come into force on Friday 28 August.

In addition, Scotland will remain in Phase 3 of the route map out of lockdown because COVID-19 remains a significant threat to public health, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.

In a statement to the Scottish Parliament the First Minister announced an earlier date for the re-opening of gyms, swimming pools and indoor sports courts, including dance studios. Subject to guidance, such facilities will now be able to re-open from 31 August rather than 14 September.

From 24 August organised outdoor contact sports, some outdoor live events, driving lessons, child contact centres, face-to-face advice services, bingo halls, amusement arcades and casinos, snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling and both static and travelling funfairs can re-open – subject to strict adherence to guidance and appropriate safety measures such as physical distancing.

On 18 August 2020, Health Protection Scotland (HPS), part of Public Health Scotland (PHS), published provisional information on Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157/STEC infection for Scotland for 2019. The information is compared to previous years’ data to show trends over time. 

In key points from the report: 

• During 2019, there were 150 cases of E. coli O157 and 108 cases of non-O157 STEC reported to HPS
• This was a slight decrease on the 156 cases of E. coli O157 and the 110 cases of non-O157 STEC reported in 2018. 
• Most isolates were reported in the summer months, a trend that is consistent with previous years. 
• E. coli O157/non-O157 STEC infection rates vary across the population, with overall higher rates observed in children under five years of age. 
• Enhanced surveillance information was available for 91% of cases.