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 EXTENSION OF CLOSING DATE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION UNTIL FRIDAY 9th JULY

Public Health in Scotland 2010 – Annual Conference
Health, Culture and Scotland:
new challenges, new opportunities
11 – 12 November 2010, Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro

This year’s Annual Scottish Conference is being organised by the Faculty of Public Health in partnership with the West of Scotland NHS Boards. Conference registration and booking details will be circulated in July/August.

This year the conference will focus on Health, Culture and Scotland and will be of interest to those involved in public health at all levels. How can the public health community identify, promote and secure the changes that are needed to improve Scotland’s health? How might the recession affect our thinking? How can we better understand and influence the effect on health cultures in Scotland? And how can we impart the importance of the early years in improving health and tackling inequalities? These are just some of the questions we will explore in this year’s programme which will feature keynote presentations from influential national and international speakers.

The Conference Steering Group has asked the Institute to circulate this information to relevant colleagues and voluntary bodies to ensure that the conference will have a varied attendance on the day.

See the attached flyer for more information and contact details.

They look forward to receiving your abstract applications!

The current Health Protection Scotland Weekly Report contains a link to the Godstone Inquiry website, which in turn has a link to the report.  The HPS Current Note lists the key recommendations from the report, so it’s useful as a quick starter. http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/ewr/pdf2010/1024.pdf

 The last paragraph of the Note also links to the HPS “Simple Precautions” leaflet webpage http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/giz/guidelinedetail.aspx?id=38604 .  This enables access to various farm-related guidance documents – i.e. they are all collected in one place.

The Purpose of the Independent Investigation

In August and September 2009 an outbreak of E. coli O157 led to severe illness in a number of visitors to Godstone Farm in Surrey. The Health Protection Agency established an independent investigation of the outbreak, the factors that contributed to it and its subsequent handling. The purpose of the investigation was to make recommendations to reduce the risk of those who visit Open Farms contracting E. coli O157 and to improve the health protection response to future outbreaks of E. coli O157 infection. In the context of the investigation, an ‘Open’ Farm is defined as one that invites members of the public to visit and facilitates direct contact with the animals. The report covers a wide range of issues and will be of interest to Environmental Health Officers and anyone with an interest in the control of infection. While the report covers an outbreak in England, it addresses many issues that are relevant to Scotland. HPS has welcomed the detailed consideration given to this matter by the independent investigation.The Scottish Government Public Health and Wellbeing Directorate has published a leaflet ‘Shedding light on E coli o157 – What you need to know’. This leaflet is aimed at raising awareness of the risk of infection via animal or environmental contact. It suggests precautions to take to reduce the risk. It is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2005/03/20839/54388

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 19 and 20 May.

The conference proved to be a great success. Highlights included:

• a thought provoking Presidential Address by Rod House followed by a range of excellent presentations made by eminent speakers including a Keynote Address by Dr Harry Burns, Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer and a Close of Conference presentation on food safety and local authority resources by Professor Hugh Pennington
• a small but select 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, Members of the Scottish Parliament, local authority councillors, Scottish Government officials, Honorary Vice-Presidents 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

Rod House’s Presidential Address and Crawford Morgan’s paper are available as an attachments to this news item.

Welcome to the second Annual Environmental Health Review. 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. We hope you find the review to be interesting and informative.

View or download a copy at the link below.

‘Environmental Health – 135 Years Protecting the People of Scotland’

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. The Conference is being held in Renfrew this year and I look forward to welcoming you. The Conference will be held at the Glynhill Hotel www.glynhill.com/   on 19th & 20th May 2010

Rod House, President

The Conference programme and booking form is attached.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison today launched a strategy aimed at tackling Scotland’s ‘Obesity Time Bomb’.

The ‘Preventing Overweight and Obesity’ document warns that if action is not taken, by 2030 nearly four in ten Scots will be obese – costing Scottish society up to £3 billion a year. A cost so large that it will directly impact on our nation’s ability to achieve sustainable economic growth. For more information and links to other initiatives go to:-

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/02/22095151

Updated information on weather patterns in the UK now indicates that volcanic ash associated with the current eruption in Iceland will reach ground level over the UK, starting in Scotland this evening before moving south over the course of the night.See the attached press release from  NHS National Services Scotland and Health Protection Scotland.Information on air quality in Scotland is available from www.scottishairquality.co.uk.

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. The Conference is being held in Renfrew this year and I look forward to welcoming you.

The Conference programme is now attached for your information.
Rod House, President

We have moved! 

The Institute is now based at 19 Torphichen Street, EH3 8HX.

Our new contact details are 

Tel:   0131 229 2968   Fax: 0131 228 2926