Improving and protecting health and wellbeing in Scotland through education, training and qualifications in Environmental Health
This year’s Conference, which is taking place in Glasgow for the first time on 22-24 November, will have free places for members to attend for the final day (Friday). The Annual General Meeting of the Institute will be held in the afternoon.
Bookings are also being accepted for the remainder of the days, which include a civic reception from the City of Glasgow.
For further information, see Events
(Photo – City Chambers, Glasgow)
Consumer groups in Scotland have been keen for some time to see greater transparency of enforcement and compliance with food safety legislation. For more information on ‘scores on the doors’ read the full news item, as mentioned in Environmental Health Scotland, Volume 18, Number 3.
A recent report published by the World Health Organisation highlights the importance of environmental health work
Readers of the Journal of the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland will be aware that an appeal was launched for the above initiative in the Summer edition of ‘Environmental Health Scotland’. Full details of the appeal appear here.
The inaugural REHIS Roadshow was hosted by South Ayrshire Council at the impressive County Buildings, Ayr on Wednesday 26 April.
Delegates heard presentations from Tom Bell, Chief Executive; Val Cameron, Director of Professional Development; and Graham Walker, Director of Training.
A new training programme approved by REHIS and the Sea Fish Industry Authority has seen 14 Eastern block food workers gain the Elementary Certificate in Food Hygiene.
The workers, from Latvia, Poland and Lithuania scored an average of 90% at Young’s Bluecrest factory in Fraserburgh.
REHIS President, John Stirling, presents certificates to
Rafal Milczarek (left) and Egita Bluke (right), with Michael Sim, Youngs
Bluecrest’s Technical Manager, looking on.
A few places remaining…
The Institute will run a series of roadshows across Scotland this year to highlight its role in promoting environmental and public health and to promote the growing importance of continuing professional development for environmental health professionals. This first series of roadshows will be presented in Ayr, Edinburgh, Dundee, Elgin, Aberdeen and Glasgow on separate dates between the end of April and the beginning of June. While aimed primarily at existing members anyone working as an environmental health professional and who may be interested in joining the Institute will be welcome to attend one of the roadshows.
Although no official nationwide statistics are yet available, it appears to have been well received by owners of premises, their staff and their customers.
Initial reports from EHOs suggest that, both in the commercial sector and among the public, there has been overwhelming compliance, with only a handful of minor issues.
REHIS President, John Stirling says thorough preparation in advance of the ban has paid dividends: “The lead-in time gave everyone a chance to get used to the prospect of a ban and that, combined with the reasonable approach by enforcement officers, means this first month has gone very smoothly.
“Co-operation by all concerned has been the key, and we congratulate everyone for playing their part. Pubs and bars were one area where many people anticipated problems but that has not been our experience, so particular credit is due to the Licensed Trade for helping to introduce this most important piece of environmental health legislation.”
See full press release
Martin Keeley (pictured), a Chartered Environmental Health Officer working for East Dunbartonshire Council, has won the competition open to all members to be nominated for a delegate’s place at the 9th World Congress in Environmental Health being held in Dublin in June of this year. Martin will accompany the two official delegates travelling, namely the President, John Stirling and the Senior Vice President, Bernard Forteath.
The REHIS Council had decided to repeat the idea of sending a delegate to the Congress, from among the membership by inviting submissions to be made on why they should be chosen.
The previous winner was Drew Hall of Inverclyde Council, who got to attend the event when it was held two years ago in Durban, South Africa.
As part of the conditions for participating, the winner has to agree to provide a written report to appear in the REHIS journal.
Dr David Old has completed his two-year independent report commissioned by REHIS on the Environmental Health profession in Scotland. His Project Steering Group (PSG) recommends five priority actions and says that everyone concerned must act with urgency.
The five priority actions are listed below. For the full report and appendices, see the Members’ Library.
Pictured at the handover of the report are (from l to r) Mike Halls, PSG Secretary, John Stirling, President, Dr David Old, PSG Chairman, Bernard Forteath, Senior Vice President and Robert Howe, Junior Vice President.
Applications are invited for a PhD scholarship to work on a project entitled Enhancing human health through improved water quality. Specifically the successful applicant will work on the development of a Microbial Risk Assessment model to monitor the dispersion, transport and potential human exposure to waterborne hazards including viruses and bacteria. The project is conducted in conjunction with the National University of Ireland, Galway and is funded by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Development Plan under the ERTDI programme. For full details, see Members Library.
Strathclyde University have announced that they will be offering an MSc in Environmental Health from September 2006. This will be a one year full-time course which will provide the underpinning academic knowledge which will allow the student to go onto train as an Environmental Health Officer. This course would be ideal for applicants with a life science degree. To become an Environmental Health Officer the student also requires to complete the usual 48 weeks of practical training with a Scottish Local Authority before sitting the REHIS
professional examination.
Anyone interested in the MSc course should contact Dr Raymond Wong, academic selector, Strathclyde University, Raymond.wong@strath.ac.uk. Any students enrolled in the MSc course must register with REHIS as soon as they obtain a practical training.
placement.
