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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.

As the holiday season gets underway, radiation experts at the Health Protection Agency are urging caution in the summer sun. Each year many thousands of holidaymakers in the UK, and those who head abroad, burn their skin after spending too long in the heat of the summer sun.

See attached HPA press release for more information.

As the holiday season gets underway, radiation experts at the Health Protection Agency are urging caution in the summer sun. Each year many thousands of holidaymakers in the UK, and those who head abroad, burn their skin after spending too long in the heat of the summer sun.

See attached HPA press release for more information.

Edinburgh Cyrenians is an independent charity that has operated with continuous steady growth and success since 1968. They provide solutions to poverty and homelessness and work towards a Scotland that makes room for all. Their passion is to help people who have had severe problems, to help themselves improve their lives. They offer the kind of opportunities and support that enable people to turn their lives around. The Good Food Good Health Joint Award is tailored for the priority groups, is delivered over two days and aims to enable participants to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to deliver practical in-house cooking classes and be able to promote and encourage healthier eating, cooking and food budgeting options to their client group to ensure consistent messages about food and health to those they work with. As well as the two days training, an important element of the Good Food Good Health Joint Award is that it also offers eight weeks of cooking classes.

 Graham Walker, REHIS Director of Training would like to thank the staff at Edinburgh Cyrenians for all their hard work and support, in particular Chris Stevenson, Cyrenians Food and Health Development Co-ordinator, during the development of this joint award. The delivery of this training programme including ‘on the job’ experience adds value to the work already being delivered across the sector, by increasing the skills set of support staff in extending knowledge, confidence and understanding of issues around food, health and social inclusion.

The photograph shows Tom Bell, REHIS Chief Executive, Des Ryan, Edinburgh Cyrenians Chief Executive and Chris Stevenson signing the Joint Award Agreement.

Edinburgh Cyrenians is an independent charity that has operated with continuous steady growth and success since 1968. They provide solutions to poverty and homelessness and work towards a Scotland that makes room for all. Their passion is to help people who have had severe problems, to help themselves improve their lives. They offer the kind of opportunities and support that enable people to turn their lives around. The Good Food Good Health Joint Award is tailored for the priority groups, is delivered over two days and aims to enable participants to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to deliver practical in-house cooking classes and be able to promote and encourage healthier eating, cooking and food budgeting options to their client group to ensure consistent messages about food and health to those they work with. As well as the two days training, an important element of the Good Food Good Health Joint Award is that it also offers eight weeks of cooking classes.

 Graham Walker, REHIS Director of Training would like to thank the staff at Edinburgh Cyrenians for all their hard work and support, in particular Chris Stevenson, Cyrenians Food and Health Development Co-ordinator, during the development of this joint award. The delivery of this training programme including ‘on the job’ experience adds value to the work already being delivered across the sector, by increasing the skills set of support staff in extending knowledge, confidence and understanding of issues around food, health and social inclusion.

The photograph shows Tom Bell, REHIS Chief Executive, Des Ryan, Edinburgh Cyrenians Chief Executive and Chris Stevenson signing the Joint Award Agreement.

An independent expert panel has been set up by Scottish Ministers to consider the future delivery of the food standards regime in Scotland. It follows the UK Government’s decision last year to absorb some of the policy areas overseen in England by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a UK-wide body, back into Whitehall departments. Chaired by the UK’s former chief vet, Jim Scudamore, the review panel will consider the feasibility of establishing a dedicated Scottish FSA, and also the merits of establishing a standalone meat inspection delivery service in Scotland. Public Health Minister Michael Matheson said: “The Westminster Government’s decision to fragment the FSA south of the border has resulted in a situation where a UK-wide agency carries out different food standard functions in different parts of the UK. Scotland needs to consider how best to respond to this change, recognising the expertise of the FSA team based in Aberdeen. That’s why we have invited Jim Scudamore to lead a review that can provide Ministers with recommendations on the FSA’s functions in Scotland. The review will also include a full assessment of the feasibility of setting up a devolved meat inspection delivery service in Scotland. We expect the panel to consult widely before reporting to Ministers later this year.”

Issued on the Scottish Government website on 23 June 2011 – www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/06/23093327

An independent expert panel has been set up by Scottish Ministers to consider the future delivery of the food standards regime in Scotland. It follows the UK Government’s decision last year to absorb some of the policy areas overseen in England by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a UK-wide body, back into Whitehall departments. Chaired by the UK’s former chief vet, Jim Scudamore, the review panel will consider the feasibility of establishing a dedicated Scottish FSA, and also the merits of establishing a standalone meat inspection delivery service in Scotland. Public Health Minister Michael Matheson said: “The Westminster Government’s decision to fragment the FSA south of the border has resulted in a situation where a UK-wide agency carries out different food standard functions in different parts of the UK. Scotland needs to consider how best to respond to this change, recognising the expertise of the FSA team based in Aberdeen. That’s why we have invited Jim Scudamore to lead a review that can provide Ministers with recommendations on the FSA’s functions in Scotland. The review will also include a full assessment of the feasibility of setting up a devolved meat inspection delivery service in Scotland. We expect the panel to consult widely before reporting to Ministers later this year.”

Issued on the Scottish Government website on 23 June 2011 – www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/06/23093327

Food Safety Week is an annual event held to promote the importance of good food hygiene in the home.

As part of Food Safety Week 2011 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s food safety team promoted the publication of the Gaelic translation of the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland “Introduction to Food Hygiene Course Handbook”.  “We have been promoting good food hygiene practices and hand hygiene through school visits and this translation is very useful when talking to Gaelic medium classes” explains Ruth Macaskill, an Environmental Health Officer with the Comhairle.  “Good food hygiene practices taught to schoolchildren will hopefully feed back to good practices in the home”.

Airson seachdainn sàbhailteachd-bìdh a chomharrachadh, thug Comhairle nan Eilean Siar lethbhreac den leabhrain mu shàbhailteachd-bìdh a th’air ùr thighinn a-mach ann an Gàidhlig  do gach sgoilear anns a’ chiad dà bhliadhna san aonad Ghàidhlig ann an Sgoil Lacasdail ann an Leòdhas.

To mark Food Safety week, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar gave copies of the food safety books that have newly been translated into Gaelic, to each pupil in Primary One and Two in the Gaelic Medium Unit at Laxdale Primary School in Lewis.

 The photograph shows Laxdale Gaelic Medium Class P1/2 with the new Gaelic Food Hygiene Handbook

Food Safety Week is an annual event held to promote the importance of good food hygiene in the home.

As part of Food Safety Week 2011 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s food safety team promoted the publication of the Gaelic translation of the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland “Introduction to Food Hygiene Course Handbook”.  “We have been promoting good food hygiene practices and hand hygiene through school visits and this translation is very useful when talking to Gaelic medium classes” explains Ruth Macaskill, an Environmental Health Officer with the Comhairle.  “Good food hygiene practices taught to schoolchildren will hopefully feed back to good practices in the home”.

Airson seachdainn sàbhailteachd-bìdh a chomharrachadh, thug Comhairle nan Eilean Siar lethbhreac den leabhrain mu shàbhailteachd-bìdh a th’air ùr thighinn a-mach ann an Gàidhlig  do gach sgoilear anns a’ chiad dà bhliadhna san aonad Ghàidhlig ann an Sgoil Lacasdail ann an Leòdhas.

To mark Food Safety week, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar gave copies of the food safety books that have newly been translated into Gaelic, to each pupil in Primary One and Two in the Gaelic Medium Unit at Laxdale Primary School in Lewis.

 The photograph shows Laxdale Gaelic Medium Class P1/2 with the new Gaelic Food Hygiene Handbook

At last month’s Annual Conference Gaelic was, for the first time in the Institute’s 136 year history, spoken in a formal session. In presenting his paper Environmental Health at the Edge/An Arainneachd aig an Oir Alasdair MacEachen used the words Madainn mhath dhuibh uile. Tha mi toilichte an cothrom seo fhaighinn an-diugh airson bruidhinn ruibh mun obair againn anns na h-Eileanan an Iar to open his presentation. One or two delegates had a slightly startled look about them! Translated into English, Alasdair’s opening was Good morning. I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak about our work in the Western Isles! Also launched at conference was the Gaelic portal on the Institute’s website along with The Essentials of Food Hygiene handbook in Gaelic. The Institute offers its sincere thanks to Alasdair’s wife Jean for undertaking the English to Gaelic translation of the handbook. Alasdair, a life-long Environmental Health Officer member of the Institute, is Head of Devolved Services (Uist and Barra) Western Isles Council/Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

At last month’s Annual Conference Gaelic was, for the first time in the Institute’s 136 year history, spoken in a formal session. In presenting his paper Environmental Health at the Edge/An Arainneachd aig an Oir Alasdair MacEachen used the words Madainn mhath dhuibh uile. Tha mi toilichte an cothrom seo fhaighinn an-diugh airson bruidhinn ruibh mun obair againn anns na h-Eileanan an Iar to open his presentation. One or two delegates had a slightly startled look about them! Translated into English, Alasdair’s opening was Good morning. I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak about our work in the Western Isles! Also launched at conference was the Gaelic portal on the Institute’s website along with The Essentials of Food Hygiene handbook in Gaelic. The Institute offers its sincere thanks to Alasdair’s wife Jean for undertaking the English to Gaelic translation of the handbook. Alasdair, a life-long Environmental Health Officer member of the Institute, is Head of Devolved Services (Uist and Barra) Western Isles Council/Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

The REHIS Annual Conference is the principal Environmental Health event to take place in Scotland and this year’s event was held in Renfrew at the Glynhill Hotel on 25 and 26 May. The conference proved to be a great success. Highlights included:

• a thought provoking Presidential Address by Acting President Rod House followed by a range of excellent presentations made by eminent speakers including a Keynote Address by Professor Jim McEwen, Chairman, Health Protection Advisory Group and a Close of Conference presentation on Listeria by Kaarin Goodburn, MBE, Director and Secretary General, Chilled Food Association…using Skype!
• the launch of the Gaelic website portal and of the Essentials of Food Hygiene in Gaelic.
• an exhibition by partner organisations.
• a very enjoyable conference dinner with representatives of our many partner organisations attending as guests.
• the presence throughout conference of representatives of partner organisations, local authority councillors and of course, many members of the Institute.

Presentations given by many of the speakers are available for REHIS Members to view and download at https:/page/presentations-events