REHIS News

From next month, the Institute will be running a series of articles titled ‘COVID DIARIES’ based on work being carried out during the pandemic and will be asking various members of the Institute and those leading, and working in the field of public health for their contributions.

The articles will feature in the eNewsletter each month and also will feature some responses in the EHS Journal.

Further rules for the hospitality sector, including the introduction of new statutory guidance are now in place, to increase compliance and keep the sector safely open.

From 14 August, new regulations make it mandatory for hospitality settings to collect customer and visitor information to their premises in support of Test and Protect. The new regulation mains points are:

REHIS President Lisa McCann attended a virtual event for stakeholders, showing Public Health Scotland's proposed first strategic plan for the period 2020 -23. The event included request for comment on the strategic plan. REHIS submitted response indicating general agreement with the high level key priorities of the new Body but questioning the absence of tackling obesity challenges in Scotland.

The Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland (SoCOEHS)  and the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) have launched an information video showing the work, so far, carried out by teams in Regulatory Services of Local Authorities in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Food Standards Scotland have updated its guidance for food business operators (FBOs) and their employees on 11 August. It aims to assist all businesses in the food and drink sector in following government guidance on infection prevention and control measures against COVID-19.

The Scottish Government have published guidance for call centre or customer contact centre environments on safe operation during the coronavirus pandemic. It came into effect on the 3 August 2020 and extends until further notice. 

The Scottish Government have worked with employers and trade unions from the contact centre sector to ensure that this guidance is evidence-based, fair and ethical, clear and realistic. 

Environmental Health Officers in Scotland have prepared a supplementary questions and answers document for hospitality businesses to provide further clarification of the Scottish Government sectoral guidance for COVID-19.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take lives and disrupt economies across the world, a new report warns that further outbreaks will emerge unless governments take active measures to prevent other zoonotic diseases from crossing into the human population, and sets out ten recommendations to prevent future pandemics.

On Wednesday 22 July First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed in her Coronavirus (COVID-19) update speech that Environmental Health Officers had visited a number of secondary locations with links to COVID-19 outbreak in Lanarkshire, based around the Sitel call centre.

The REHIS Food Hygiene Secondary Schools Initiative, which is co-funded by the Institute and Food Standards Scotland, was adapted to be delivered digitally to allow secondary school pupils in Scotland complete the REHIS Elementary Food Hygiene course (SCQF Level 5) through homeworking. This proved to be very welcome and vital for the Home Economics teachers in supporting their pupils during the pandemic lockdown.