REHIS News

Scottish Borders Council employees are being recognised their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic by being given an extra day off.

Employees will be able to take up the offer of an additional ‘well-being’ day this year at an estimated cost of more than £300k in recognition of their ‘exceptional response’ to the challenges of the last two years. If it is not practical for a staff member to take a wellbeing day off, they will receive a financial reward instead.

On 31 March 2022, the Scottish Government announced the formation of an advisory group that will shape plans for mandatory charges on coffee cups and other single-use disposable beverage containers, work on which had been on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The charge is expected to come into effect during the course of this parliament.

The group will contain representatives from every stage of the supply chain, from manufacturers and distributors through small and large retailers, as well as consumer groups, environmental NGOs, equalities groups and academics.

British film Boiling Point, starring Stephen Graham, is set on the Friday before Christmas in a busy working kitchen with head chef, Andy Jones, laboured by his own problems. The film, shot in one continuous take, depicts a catalogue of pressures faced by the head chef in one night with one being an unannounced inspection from Environmental Health Officer (EHO) Mr Lovejoy.

Eat Well Age Well report on Round 2 of their Small Ideas, Big Impact Fund highlights the positive impact of projects which received funding to help support older people to live well via food, with several of the projects using funding to provide REHIS Eating Well for Older People (EWfOP) training. 

The Institute now have a company page on LinkedIn.

Members and those who are interested are encouraged to follow the page for regular updates.

You can find the company page here.

We are delighted to announce the Institute will present this year’s Annual Environmental Health Forum as a Hybrid event based at the Aberdeen Science Centre on Thursday 16 June 2022.

We have an exciting programme planned and the Forum will provide an ideal opportunity for the Environmental Health community in Scotland to:

The United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has published the second part of its sixth assessment report (AR6), examining the causes, impacts and solutions to climate change.

Legal requirements to wear face coverings on public transport and most indoor public settings will continue until at least early April given the current spike in Covid case numbers.

Remaining legal requirements for businesses and service providers to collect customer details for contact tracing, and to have regard to and take reasonable measures set out in Covid guidance, will end as planned on Monday 21 March.

Businesses in Scotland of all sizes and sectors are urged to enter the accredited environmental awards scheme VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards.

The VIBES - Scottish Environment Business Awards are a partnership between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), The Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust, Highland & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Water, Zero Waste Scotland and NatureScot.

The annual REHIS Presenters’ Update was held on Wednesday 16 March 2022 through MS Teams.

The half day event was well attended with 85 participants from all over Scotland joining to hear the guest speakers provide an update on a range of topics.

After a warm welcome from our President, Louise Cunningham and an overview of Community Training from Director of Training, Sandra Williamson, the Update started with a presentation on Current Foodborne Illness statistics and the impact of Covid 19 from Dr Emma Agnew, Food Standards Scotland.