Improving and protecting health and wellbeing in Scotland through education, training and qualifications in Environmental Health
The Food Standards Agency and Defra have published new guidance to help the food industry decide whether their products require a ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date.
Under the new voluntary guidelines, food packaging should only use either ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date labels to make it easier for shoppers to know when food is at its best and how long it is safe to eat.
The guidance is available to view or download at http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2011/sep/datelabels
The Food Standards Agency and Defra have published new guidance to help the food industry decide whether their products require a ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date.
Under the new voluntary guidelines, food packaging should only use either ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date labels to make it easier for shoppers to know when food is at its best and how long it is safe to eat.
The guidance is available to view or download at http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2011/sep/datelabels
The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS), in partnership with ASH Scotland, has opened applications for the 2011 Crofton Award, the only award that recognises the achievements of young people in reducing tobacco and smoking-related harm in Scotland. Now in its third year, this award gives two youth groups the chance to share prize money of £1,500.
If you think that your organisation or project around tobacco use or smoking may be eligible for the award, please download more information and the application forms from the links below.
For more information on the Crofton Award and application process please contact Emma Papakyriakou, Youth Development Officer, ASH Scotland, 0131 220 9465, emma.papakyriakou@ashscotland.org.uk
Photgraph shows last year’s overall winners The Bridges Project receiving the Award from Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive, Ash Scotland and Roderick House, REHIS President.
Eligibility: The Crofton Award is intended for any project involving young people and interested in tackling tobacco in Scotland. Only groups, not individuals, may apply for the award. ‘Young people’ means under-25.
Applications close at 5pm on Friday 7 October 2011
Further information and application forms are on the ASH Scotland website. http://www.ashscotland.org.uk/projects/youth-development/the-crofton-award
Following a report by Food Standards Agency Chief Executive, Tim Smith, the FSA Board announced the Agency’s intention to review the food safety official controls delivery within the UK.
Although the strategic aims and objectives of the review are still unclear, a coalition of collaborating professional organisations within Scotland has been formed to gather evidence for submission to the review and to make the evidential suite available to the wider profession in Scotland to assist in any submission those individuals or bodies wished to make.
SFELC Chairman George Fairgrieve, seen here receiving the award of a REHIS Fellowship from Colin Wallace in 2009, is the Chairman of the group currently gathering evidence to submit to the FSA.
The joint statement is available to view and download at the link below.
The spectre of verotoxin-producing E. coli (of which E. coli O157 is the most well-known serotype) has emerged once again. Between the 1st May and 20th July of this year, an outbreak of E. coli O104:H4 in Germany and continental Europe resulted in 3,039 cases of infection with an additional 727 cases of the haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). More than 50 people died due to the infection making this the largest and most deadly VTEC outbreak ever recorded. An article by Kevin Pollock, Health Protection Scotland, on the new strain is attached.
Kevin will be giving a presentation on VTEC at the REHIS Annual Trainers’ Update Seminar in Edinburgh on the 19th October. For more information go to https:/event/rehis-trainers%E2%80%99-update-seminar-0
The final report on the Healthy Eating Healthy Living Project for adults with Learning Disabilities in six Scottish pilot sites – June 2011 by Dorothy A. Morrison, Healthy Living Project Lead is now available to view and download at the link below. This is a report on the development of an innovative educational resource pack about healthy eating developed for delivery to adults with learning disabilities, in view of the considerable health inequalities they experience and the large gap in the provision of accessible resources that exists. You can contact Dorothy at dorothy.morrison@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
The report will be of interest to people involved with adults with a learning disability and to interested members of the public.
The report covers the following
Digital mapping techniques have enabled the Health Protection Agency and British Geological Survey to produce a new radon map of Scotland. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas which seeps up from the ground and is the second largest cause of lung cancer in the UK.
Dr John Cooper, Director of the HPA Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, said: “This new map will give Scottish householders the very best available information to determine if they should test their home for radon”
For more information download or view the joint press release and the Indicative Atlas of Radon in Scotland by clicking on the links below. https://www.ukradon.org/information/ukmaps
Community Food and Health Scotland is inviting applications from groups to deliver the new REHIS Elementary Food and Health Course for Carers of Adults with a Learning Disability. They will start assessing applications from 27 July for up to £600 towards the costs of delivering this new REHIS course.
Full information and details of how to apply for these additional funding opportunities is available on their website
In 1999 the Urban Task Force led by Lord Rogers published the report “Working Towards Renaissance”, championing a holistic approach to urban regeneration, part of which recommended the introduction of a standardised document describing the condition of brownfield sites as part of any transaction process. Following consultation across a broad range of organisations, property developers and government, the Land Condition Report (LRC) was launched, supported by a quality assurance sign off system by an accredited professional. To meet this need the Specialist in Land Condition (SiLC) registration scheme was introduced; a register for experienced practitioners from a diverse range of professional bodies working in the brownfield regeneration sector and advising on land condition matters.
Whilst the scheme was initially designed as a qualification for the sign off of the LRC, it has developed progressively, establishing an important role in improving quality and standards across the industry.
For more information and how to register click on the attachment.
Many environmental health staff felt after the tragedy of the Tsunami last year, that perhaps more could have been done by the environmental health community to respond and offer practical assistance. As a result, a group of EHOs from England have teamed together with a number from the Irish Republic to form a group called Environmental Health in Disasters and Emergencies (EHiDE). To find out more about how to register an interest, see attached note
Earlier this year the Institute sent questionnaires to a random sample of 100 Environmental Health Officer members to establish levels of post-qualification training undertaken, to seek views on current post-qualification opportunities offered by REHIS and to ascertain opinion on future post-qualification training and development needs. A report was submitted to the Environmental Health Promotion Committee in September last year and the findings are now being evaluated and will be reported on in the near future. Paul Bradley, Chairman of the Environmental Health Promotion Committee would like to thank all members who completed and returned their questionnaires.
The REHIS offices were officially opened by Stewart Maxwell MSP, one of the Institute’s Honorary Vice-Presidents, on 24 June. The Autumn edition of Environmental Health Scotland will carry a fuller report of the event.
