Improving and protecting health and wellbeing in Scotland through education, training and qualifications in Environmental Health
The REHIS Annual Conference was held at The Glynhill Hotel, Renfrew on 16 and 17 May this year and was judged by participants to have been a great success.
A full report will be included in the forthcoming summer edition of the Institute’s quarterly Journal Environmental Health Scotland .
For presentations and photographs please click on the links below.
The fifth Annual Environmental Health Review was launched at the Annual Conference in Paisley. Although collated and published by the Institute the review aims to highlight the contribution made to Environmental Health by a wide range of partners working across Scotland.The review is attached for viewing and downloading.
This year’s annual conference will be held at the Glynhill Hotel in Renfrew on 16th and 17th May 2013.The REHIS Annual Conference is the principal Environmental Health event to take place in Scotland. It provides an opportunity to reflect on current and future approaches to protecting and improving the health of the Scottish people and to renew friendships and make new ones.
For more information and a booking form view the event here
Crofton Award Open for Applications
£1500 of prize money for youth groups interested in tackling tobacco
Are you a group of young people already taking action against the harm caused by tobacco or who would like to develop a new idea to tackle this issue? You don’t need to be an expert on tobacco to apply for this award; ASH Scotland’s Young People’s Team can support you to develop your ideas, knowledge and awareness of tobacco related issues. For information on the Crofton Award and case studies of previous winners please visit our website.
There has been an instant positive reaction from Scottish companies and councils in response to the launch of the 2013 Green Apple Environment Awards for Scotland. Launched only a couple of weeks ago, businesses of all types and sizes are submitting their entries to win one of the top environmental accolades in Scotland.
There are individual categories for every type of business, so everyone has a chance of success. AND IT’S FREE!
Have you entered yet? There is no entry fee and your company can win…
There is no entry fee and all winners receive free tickets for the glittering presentation ceremony in Edinburgh Castle. With Gold, Silver and Bronze awards to be won in each category, there are three opportunities to win the recognition and reward that your environmental efforts deserve.
If you are doing anything that helps the environment – tell us about it!
The International Green Apple Awards launched in 1994, and Scotland has its own campaign and prize giving event, supported by the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland.
You can enter online, by email or by post and you will find more information at www.greenappleawards.com or you can phone 01604 810507.
FREE ENTRY CLOSING DATE APRIL 30, 2013
Awareness course for Local Authority Environmental Health Officers
“Exposure of the general public to optical radiation has a long history, particularly in the case of exposure to solar radiation. In more recent years, artificial optical radiation, and in particular ultraviolet and laser radiation, has found many new applications. Many of these new uses increase the scope for the public to be exposed to these radiations. This course is intended to highlight public health issues arising from both new and old sources of ultraviolet and laser radiation.”
The course includes discussions on: Basis Concepts of Optical Radiation, Biological effects, Exposure Limits and Regulations, the sun and sunbeds, Effect lighting and laser displays, Laser pointers and other products.
There is currently no charge for Council EHOs to attend this course as the fee will be paid by the Scottish Government under a Memorandum of Understanding PHE have in place.
To book a place on the course please contact CRCE Scotland on 0141 440 2201. For further information about the course please contact Stewart Robertson on the same number or email stewart.robertson@phe.gov.uk
The April 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.
If you wish to feature any Environmental Health or Public Health initiative, event or activity in the REHIS Newsletter, please contact Jim Thomson, Policy/Professional Development Officer, The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland, 19 Torphichen Street, Edinburgh, tel: 0131 229 2968 or jt@
The Institute will run a series of roadshows across Scotland this year to highlight its role in improving and protecting public health in Scotland and to promote the new requirements for the education, professional practice and examination of Student/Graduate Trainee Environmental Health Officers. The roadshows will be presented in Aberdeen (with video conferencing links to Inverness, Stornoway, Kirkwall, Elgin and Lerwick), Dundee, Dumfries and Stirling on separate dates in May and June. The roadshows are member-only events. The Aberdeen and Stirling events will be presented as part of the Northern and Southern Centre training events. The Dundee and Dumfries events will be standalone.
See the attached document for more details and a registration form.
Following the decision by Scottish Government Ministers to create a new Scottish body for food safety and standards, feed safety and standards, nutrition, food labeling and meat inspection the Scottish Government has launched a consultation on creating the New Food Body in Scotland.
You are invited to take this opportunity to tell the Scottish Government what you think the role of the new food body should be and how food safety and standards should be addressed in Scotland in the future.
The consultation can be accessed on the Scottish Government website at the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/02/2691
The closing date for responses is the 22 May 2013.
NHS Health Scotland has produced a suite of health inequalities briefing notes to complement the December 2012 SOA guidance to help Community Planning Partnerships in the development of their Single Outcome Agreement. Click on this hyperlink for more information on the following topics.
1. Health Inequalities briefing: Broad messages
2. Health Inequalities briefing: Physical Activity
3. Health Inequalities briefing: Early Years
4. Health Inequalities briefing: Outcomes for Older People
5. Health Inequalities briefing: Employment
6. Health Inequalities briefing: Economic Recovery and Growth
7. Health Inequalities briefing: Creating Healthy Places
8. Health inequalities briefing: Addressing Gender- based Violence
Scottish Government Ministers have agreed to create a new Scottish body for food safety, food standards, nutrition, food labelling and meat inspection.
The move follows the recommendations of the Scudamore review, which was commissioned by the Scottish Government as a result of the UK Government’s decision to move responsibility for nutrition and food labelling in England from the Food Standards Agency to the Department of Health and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2010.
For more information go to http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/06/foodstandards27062012
Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) & Biomass (Developmental Control)
The aim of the training event is to provide professionals/technical officers with an insight into Air Quality Assessment Tools (specifically Biomass) used to inform Developmental Controls currently in use within a local authority scenario.In addition there will be a short presentation on a practical example of establishing and tackling an identified Air Quality Management Area.
Participation in this event carries a maximum value of 1 hour (Core Activity) for the REHIS Scheme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
See the attached flyer for more information.
