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Places are still available on this free to members training event which will be held in the Menzies Belford Hotel, Edinburgh on the morning of Thursday 22 November. An interesting programme covering the Anthrax Incident in the Scottish Borders, the Review of the Scottish Public Health Legislation, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and Healthy Eating in Scotland has been put together. Non-members are very welcome to attend; the delegate fee for non-members is £40.00. Registration forms are available from the REHIS office. Members please note – the 2007 Annual General Meeting will be held at the same venue on the afternoon of Thursday 22 November.

A group of Maltese EHOs arrived in Scotland last month on a self-funded trip to undertake a programme of technical visits to a wide range of food production and processing premises with HACCP being an integral part of each visit. Bernard Forteath, the President of REHIS welcomed the delegation to the REHIS Offices in Edinburgh and expressed his thanks to EHO colleagues in North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Glasgow City Council, South Ayrshire Council and Renfrewshire Council for their assistance in putting an excellent programme of visits together.

The Scottish Executive, DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government have jointly issued a consultation on the proposed EU Soil Framework Directive and initial Regulatory Impact Assessment.
The consultation is designed to assist in developing a robust negotiating position on the proposed EU Soil Framework Directive. The consultation paper seeks views on the need for new EU legislation on soil protection, on the scope of the proposed Directive, the costs and benefits associated with it, and on the detail of the proposed provisions.
The consultation closes on 19 October 2007. However, in view of the intention of the Portugese Presidency to discuss this proposal at the October Environment Council (30 October 2007), stakeholders are invited to submit their responses ahead of the deadline if possible.
Full details of the consultation can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Current

HMP Edinburgh is an Approved Training Centre delivering REHIS Elementary Health and Safety Courses for inmates and prison catering staff. Following the successful completion of the first Elementary Health and Safety Course delivered in a Scottish prison Graham Walker, Director of Training took the opportunity to present Paul John Manley and Stewart A Smith, two of the successful course participants, with their REHIS Elementary Health and Safety Certificates. Possession of this industry recognised qualification provides participants with the knowledge to help them to carry out their job safely and provides holders with an advantage when seeking employment. REHIS welcomes the investment in health and safety training at HMP Edinburgh and is wholly supportive of the endeavours of the Governor and staff involved.
Pictured with Graham Walker are, left to right, David Curr, Catering Trainer, HMP Edinburgh, Paul John Manley, Stewart A Smith and Graham Walker.

The 1st All Africa Environmental Health Congress was held in the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya from Monday 27 August until Thursday 30 August, 2007. The Congress attracted approximately 700 delegates from all over Africa and was formally opened by Mrs Charity Kaluk Ngilu MP, Minister of Health, Kenya. Papers were presented by environmental health colleagues from all over the world, including REHIS members Tracy Morse and Tony Grimason. The IFEH AGM and annual Council meeting took place on the Saturday and Sunday prior to the opening of the Congress.

Pictured
Back row
Mohamed Karama – President, Association of Public Health Inspectors, Kenya; Steve Cooper – Treasurer IFEH; Peter Archer – CIEH.
Front row
Steen Fogde – Envina, Denmark; Jerry Chaka – South Africa; Mrs Charity Kalouk Ngilu MP – Minister of Health; Bernard Forteath – President, REHIS/President Elect, IFEH; Mr Kepha Ombacheo – Chief Health Inspector,Kenya

The Institute presented a very successful exhibition at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh from the 10th to 13th September. The exhibition, which was sponsored by Stewart Maxwell MSP an Honorary Vice President of REHIS, gave MSPs and their researchers an opportunity to discuss a range of issues with Members of the REHIS Council and staff and to find out more about environmental health and the work of the Institute. Along with REHIS information booklets and leaflets a number of briefing notes on current environmental health issues were on display and all seven are available for downloading below.

Pictured at the Exhibition – Stewart Maxwell MSP with Bernard Forteath, REHIS President.

The current Scottish Executive consultation on the Environmental Impact Assessment of Reserved Matters Applications is open until 19 September 2007.
The Paper sets out the proposals for amending Part 11 of the EIA (Scotland) Regulations 1999 to transpose into Scots law the requirement that consideration must be given to the need for EIA before determining a planning application for approval of reserved matters.
The document can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/26172457/0

Officials from REHIS and the Food Standards Agency Scotland met in Edinburgh last week as part of their ongoing liaison to update each other on developments within their respective organisations; to discuss professional education, training and qualifications and, to discuss provision of community training courses in food hygiene, occupational health and safety and food and health across Scotland. Pictured left to right: Graham Walker, Lorna Murray, Val Cameron, George Paterson, Andrew Jamieson, Jim Thomson and Tom Bell.

EHiDE Newsletter.An update from the Gang of Six!

Last week both the REHIS Food Update Course and the annual REHIS Trainers Seminar took place in the Apex Hotel in Dundee. These proved to be popular events with 49 delegates attending the Food Update Course and 126 attending the Trainers Seminar. The Food Update Course focussed on control of Food Incidents, whereas the Trainers Seminar provided an up-date on new food safety and health and safety legislation and developments in the areas of food and health and safety. Both events held workshop sessions in the afternoon which were very well received by the delegates.

The Council of REHIS has agreed to move the Annual Conference from its current slot in November to the springtime. As a result there will be no Annual Conference this year but a free training event for members will be held in the Menzies Belford Hotel, Edinburgh on the morning of Thursday 22 November. The 2007 Annual General Meeting will be held at the same venue on the afternoon of Thursday 22 November. Formal notice will be sent to all members later in the year. Preparations for the 2008 Annual Conference are now underway and members will be advised of venue, dates and programme in due course.

This, the 26th Report of the Royal Commission published in March 2007, examines the environment within urban areas and the wider environmental impacts of towns and cities, and considers the relationship between the urban environment and human health and wellbeing. A summary of the findings of the Report follows.