Response has been provided to a consultation on Good practice guidance on public health action in response to detecting elevated levels of lead in drinking water. Consultation was received directly from the Scottish Health Protection Network – Environmental Public Health Group. This guidance provides best practice advice for NHS board Health Protection Teams responding to a report of an elevated level of lead in drinking water. The guidance also outlines roles and responsibilities of relevant partner agencies who may be involved in investigating and acting on elevated levels of lead in drinking water. The response from REHIS indicated that it may be beneficial to add epidemiological evidence to support the guidance, and that the information to give to members of the public and the outcome from blood tests could be written in a clearer manner within the document. A risk assessment approach to a given situation was promoted within the guidance, which was considered appropriate but that this assessment should consider other sources of lead to which the individual may be exposed. Comments are to be considered by the guidance review group and the document updated.
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