vol 28 - number 2 summer 2016 - rehis · the future of the profession and the local authority ......

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Environmental Health Scotland

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The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland19 Torphichen Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8HXTel: 0131 229 2968 Fax: 0131 228 2926 Website: www.rehis.com

Officers of the InstitutePresident: Professor Kofi Aidoo

Senior Vice-President: Drew Hall

Past President: Martin Keeley

Northern Centre Chairman: Louise Cunningham

Northern Centre Secretary: Bob Drummond

Honorary Treasurer: Martin Henry

Junior Vice-President: Lorrainne MacGillivray

Past President: Colin Wallace

Southern Centre Chairman: David Duffy

Southern Centre Secretary: Pat Hoey

Courses Co-ordinator: Martin Keeley

Chief Executive: Tom Bell

Director of Professional Development: John Sleith

Training Adviser: Dr Jane Bunting

Director of Training: Jackie McCabe

Training Adviser: Raymond Hubbocks

Members of CouncilWendy Barrie

Paul Bradley

Gordon Brown

Louise Cunningham

Bernard Forteath

Christine Fraser

Sandy Fraser

Susan Geddes

Karen Keeley

Gwyneth Kerwin

Brian Lawrie

Sarah MacLeod-Bonnar

Lisa McCann

Christine Morrison

John Murray

Sheena Redmond

Honorary Vice-PresidentsGeorge Georgallas

Kenneth Macintosh MSP

Stewart Maxwell

Ann Marie Part

Young Samanyika

John Scott MSP

Dr Jim Smith

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The Journal of The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland

Volume 28, Number 2 Summer 2016

ISSN 0950-3277

Environmental Health Scotland is published by the Council of The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland.

Editor: Tom Bell

The views expressed in this Journal are not necessarily those of The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland, the publisher or the editor. Articles, news items or letters are welcomed for publication but the publisher reserves the right to edit contributions as the editor sees fit. At the editor’s discretion, items submitted for publication will be peer reviewed. All material is submitted at owner’s risk. The publisher cannot be held responsible for loss or damage, however caused.

Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher and copyright holder.

CONTENTS

The Chief Executive’s View 4

Annual Environmental Health Forum -Presidential Welcome 5

Annual Environmental Health Forum -Round-up 9

IFEH World Congress, Council Meetingand AGM, Malawi 13

Management Committee 15

Bill McKenzie, 1937-2016 16

Debating a Hot Topic 17

Lesley Lees, 1966-2016 18

Examinations and Professional StandardsCommittee 19

Brian Friel, 1958-2016 20

Hepatitis E Virus in Scotland 21

Public Health and Housing Working Group 22

The New Eatwell Guide and RevisedScottish Dietary Goals 23

HASCOG Scotland 26

Food Matters 26

HSE LAU News 28

Scottish Pollution Control Co-ordinatingCommittee 29

Southern Centre Private Housing Event 30

SEPA News 31

Elementary Food and Health Annual Course Presenter’s Seminar 32

Elementary Cooking Skills Joint Workshop 33

Professional Development 34

On the cover: Professor Jim Baird and Professor Kofi Aidoo preparing for the final plenary session of the Annual Environmental Health Forum.


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THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S VIEW

The summer edition of Environmental Health Scotland presents me with an opportunity to reflect on the Institute’s activities during the first six months of the year and to take a look into the future.

The Institute is incorporated by Royal Charter, is a registered Scottish charity, is a member-based society, is the organisation that governs the Environmental Health Profession in Scotland, is a UK Competent Authority for the Environmental Health Profession in terms of UK and EU legislation, is a national awarding body for a wide range of qualifications in environmental health and is a national training organisation with Approved Training Centres across Scotland, the rest of the UK and further afield. Good communications and positive dialogue with the membership and with partner organisations are therefore fundamental to the successful operation of such a complex organisation. In this regard communicating with, and getting support for the Institute’s work from our members and partner organisations is essential, as is getting the REHIS message out to our many partner organisations.

The Annual Environmental Health Forum, held this year at the Glasgow Caledonian University, attracted excellent feedback. The venue was a popular one and the programme was excellent but delegate numbers were lower than expected. This was disappointing especially after an extensive consultation with the membership led to positive changes being made in time for the 2015 Annual Forum in Clydebank.

To communicate the Institute’s concerns for the future of the Environmental Health Profession and Service it published An Environmental Health Manifesto for Scotland at the Annual Forum ahead of the Holyrood elections. In this document the Institute took the opportunity to communicate with its members, with Scotland’s environmental health community and with the Scottish Government and called for:

• Effective locally based Environmental Health• Adequate capacity and training of the Environmental

Health workforce• Protection of the public while ensuring a level playing

field for business• Healthier and safer communities through education,

training and qualifications.

The future of the Profession and the local authority based Service are never off the Institute’s agenda and the diminishing numbers of Environmental Health Officer, Food Safety Officer and technical support staff posts within Scottish local authorities have long been of great

concern to the Institute. To this end meetings between the Institute’s office bearers and senior staff have been held with the Scottish Government’s Minister for Public Health, regarding the future of the Environmental Health Profession and Service and with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning regarding the lack of an academic route in Scotland for aspiring Food Safety Officers to attend and gain entry to the suite of Scottish Food Safety Officers’ Registration Board Higher Certificates qualifications.

With Jim Thomson standing down after six years as the e-Newsletter Editor the opportunity came for a review of the post. Sarah Groom, an Environmental Health Officer, has been appointed as the Membership Communications Officer and will edit the Institute’s e-Newsletter from August. The role may be extended in the future to include a social media presence.

World Environmental Health Day (WEHD), promoted by the International Federation of Environmental Health, takes place on 26 September and this year’s theme, proposed by Bernard Forteath, one of the Institute’s three representatives to the Federation, is Tobacco Control – a Response to the Global Tobacco Pandemic. To celebrate WEHD the Institute invited Primary 6 students from a number of primary schools to take part in a competition by demonstrating, in a medium of their choice, the benefits to them as 10 year olds after 10 years of smoke free legislation in Scotland. The winners of the competition will be announced shortly.

And looking to the future…how will the UK’s decision to leave the European Union (EU) affect the work of the Institute and the delivery of the environmental health service? Will public finances be under even greater strain? With regard to the recognition of professional qualifications, what will the status of EU Directive and UK Regulations on the Institute’s responsibilities as a UK Competent Authority for Environmental Health be once the country breaks away from the EU? Time will tell.

Finally, I take this opportunity to place on record the Institute’s gratitude to Stewart Maxwell for all the support and expert advice he enthusiastically and freely gave while a Member of the Scottish Parliament. Stewart was not re-elected to serve as an MSP at Holyrood but will continue as an Honorary Vice-President of the Institute.


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ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FORUM 2016PRESIDENTIAL WELCOME

Good morning ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland’s Annual Forum; welcome to Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU).

The Venue – a bit of its history

Glasgow Caledonian University was formed on 1 April 1993 as a result of a merger between Glasgow Polytechnic and Queen’s College, approved by the Secretary of State for Scotland in 1992. Both parent institutions have histories in their own right.

The origins of Queen’s College, Glasgow date back as far as 1875 when the Glasgow School of Cookery was established and in 1908 merged with the West End School of Cookery, which had been established in 1878 to form the Glasgow and West of Scotland College of Domestic Science. Having been patron of the College since 1944, the Queen was pleased to accede to the request in 1975 that the College become known as the Queen’s College of Glasgow offering Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) degree courses, Diploma and Certificate courses in many disciplines including Dietetics, Physiotherapy and Hospitality Management.

Glasgow Polytechnic was originally two separate colleges: the College of Science and Technology and the College of Commerce which merged in 1971 to become a newly formed College of Technology offering CNAA degree courses. The formal opening of the College took place in 1972. The College was under the governance of Glasgow Corporation until 1975 when the newly created Strathclyde Region became the funding body. In 1985, ownership passed from the Regional Council to an independent Board of Governors who received their funds directly from the Scottish Education Department and in 1991 the college became Glasgow Polytechnic.

Glasgow Caledonian University aims to reinforce its defining position as the University for the Common Good.

By 2020, GCU will have a global reputation for delivering social benefit and impact through education, research and social innovation and will be recognised as the University for the Common Good that transforms lives, enriches cities and communities, innovates for social and economic impact, engages globally and aligns with others in partnership and collaboration to deliver its goals.

Glasgow Caledonian University is the fifth largest university in Scotland with over 16,000 students from more than 100 countries. The university offers 70 different courses from three academic schools; School of Engineering & Built Environment, Glasgow School for Business and Society and School of Health and Life Sciences.

The Environmental Health Profession, the challenges and links with other organisations.The objects for which the Institute is established, contained in Article 3 of the Royal Charter, are for the benefits of Community to promote advancement of Environmental Health by (i) stimulating general interest in and dissemination knowledge concerning Environmental Health; (ii) promoting education and training in matters relating to Environmental Health and (iii) maintaining, by examination or otherwise, high standards of professional practice and conduct on the part of Environmental Health Officers in Scotland.

The Institute is committed to engaging with other organisations and also promoting itself as a leading professional body in Environmental Health not only in Scotland but worldwide. As a founding member of the International Federation of Environment Health, REHIS has played and continues to play a major role in IFEH. The Institute has a good and long standing relationship with the Environmental Health Association of Ireland, the Malawi Environmental Health Association and with the Association of Public Health Inspectors, Cyprus. In Scotland, the Institute has been working with the Scottish Government, local authorities, ASH Scotland, Food Standards Scotland, Health and Safety Executive, Health Protection Scotland, academia and other stakeholders.

by Professor Kofi Aidoo, President


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We meet here today as environmental and public health professionals for this important date on the Institute’s calendar. The aim of this Forum is to cover some of the issues in protecting and improving the health and wellbeing and in reducing health inequalities of the people of Scotland. In Scotland the declining number of frontline Environmental Health professionals is worrying. There appears to be lack of national funding resources. The Institute is also concerned about the reduction in funding for Student/Graduate Trainee Environmental Health Officers training in local authorities.

The Institute is fortunate to have three MSPs, Kenneth Macintosh, John Scott and Stewart Maxwell as Honorary Vice-Presidents. Stewart Maxwell’s Freedom of Information request to all Scottish local authorities to establish the number of EHOs, FSOs and Technical Support staff employed in this sector highlights the Institute’s concern over the declining number of these officers working in the local authorities. Mr Maxwell also facilitated a meeting with REHIS, Food Standards Scotland and the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Angela Constance MSP, to consider a way forward to reinstate pre-degree courses in food science and/or technology that would not only meet the Scottish Food Safety Officers’ Registration Board’s under-pinning pre-entry academic requirement, but also the food and drink sector in Scotland. I am pleased to say that as a result of a positive atmosphere at the meeting, further meetings are planned which would involve other stakeholders: the Food Standards Scotland, Scottish Qualifications Authority, Further Education Colleges, The Food and Drink Federation and Higher Education Institutions.

The capacity of the Environmental Health workforce in local authorities was a question Stewart Maxwell put to Maureen Watt, MSP, Minister for Public Health during Portfolio Question Time at the Scottish Parliament on 23 September 2015. Again I am delighted to say that talks are still in progress with the Scottish Government and at this point I would like to express the Institute’s gratitude to Mr Maxwell for his enthusiastic and long standing support.

Globally there have been major public health issues and this continues to be the case. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 is an example. According to the World Health Organisation there were 28,647 suspected cases and 11,322 deaths although the Organisation believes this substantially understates the magnitude of the outbreak. Imported cases were reported in Europe and the United States. First isolated in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1948, the Zika virus took over 65 years to ‘migrate’ from Africa through south Asia to

French Polynesia. Today the Zika virus has reached the Americas. In terms of public health, concerted efforts need to be made to minimise and/or control the spread of diseases, the role of Environmental Health professionals is crucial, in particular water sources and quality and general sanitation.

Launching the ManifestoLadies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Institute, it gives me great pleasure to launch the Institute’s Environmental Health for Scotland Manifesto today. The Institute has identified 4 main challenges in protecting and improving Environmental Health in Scotland and has already been working with all stakeholders in tackling these challenges to improve and protect the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.

Challenge 1 – Effective locally based Environmental HealthThe Environmental Health Service has historically been delivered by local government and this locally accountable service is valued by the public and their representatives. Increasingly the focus of environmental and public health is through the Scottish Parliament. Local Environmental Health Departments are cognisant of, and reactive to, local issues and concerns. Environmental Health Officers have a respected role as public servants with an unbiased role in ensuring that public health is protected.

“We continue to see a downward trend in the numbers of highly skilled Environmental Health (EHO) staff employed by Scotland’s local authorities. There is only so much contraction that can be accommodated without seriously impacting on the service and the consequent risk on public health.”

“It is worrying that the pipeline of new EHOs coming into the profession is not going to meet the requirements needed to match the number of highly experienced professionals leaving the workforce. This is a very real issue as we look to the medium to long term and the impact that will inevitably have on public health.”

The current financial pressures facing the public sector may lead to a questioning of the current position of Environmental Health within local government. Any change to current arrangements where the norm is for the Environmental Health work to be discharged by locally based, directly employed, council staff could lead to a diminution of public and business confidence in the service provided. It would also lead to an important component of the local government skillset being lost.


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Between 2009 and 2015, the number of EHOs employed by Scottish Councils fell by 14.0% - from 556 to 478. During the same period the number of Food Safety Officers fell by 19.5% (105.6 to 85).

At the moment occupational health and safety is the only significant area of Environmental Health in Scotland not controlled from Scotland. Bringing all of the major areas of Environmental Health into line with each other and for priorities to be set at Holyrood and delivered locally sits best with the Scottish Government’s focus on health and wellbeing. Priorities for Environmental Health should therefore be set in Scotland.”

REHIS believes that the Environmental Health Service in Scotland should continue to be delivered locally, be sustainably resourced and be aligned with Scottish priorities of health and wellbeing. Priorities for Environmental Health should be set in Scotland.

Challenge 2 – Adequate capacity and training in the Environmental Health workforceThe Environmental Health Profession prides itself on the high standards of education and training required of aspiring Environmental Health Officers. Ensuring that the highest level of entrants into the profession are assured, coupled with the retention of the most experienced and skilled personnel is essential for the profession charged with protecting the environmental health of our communities. Currently Student EHOs require to achieve a BSc (Hons) or MSc degree in Environmental Health from a REHIS accredited university and follow this by attaining the Institute’s Diploma in Environmental Health. The Institute’s Scheme of Professional Practice reflects the Public Health Knowledge and Skills Framework, the national standards for professional competence for those working in public health in the UK. The Scheme requires Student/Graduate Trainee EHOs to undertake a minimum of 48 weeks practical training followed by the submission of a portfolio, evidencing the candidate’s learning and oral examinations in all seven areas of environmental health (ie Food Safety; Food Standards; Occupational Health and Safety; Public Health; Waste Management; Built Management and Pollution Control.). After achieving the Diploma, EHOs participating in the Institute’s Continuing Professional Development Scheme can ultimately achieve the status of Chartered Environmental Health Officer. The Institute’s Scottish Food Safety Officers’ Registration Board (SFSORB), governs the education, training and examination of individuals wishing to achieve qualifications solely in food enforcement. At present no educational providers in Scotland offer a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Food Technology,

the minimum academic qualification required to enter training to become a Food Safety Officer in Scotland.

REHIS believes reduced public sector spending and the need to support its accredited environmental health degree courses must be addressed to ensure that the public have the protection of a properly resourced Environmental Health Service staffed by officers trained to a high standard and who can demonstrate their competence.

Challenge 3 – Protecting the public and ensuring a level playing field for business.Much adverse public comment is made regarding the ‘health and safety’ culture in the UK. This can often be translated into antipathy towards those officials who are tasked with enforcing health and safety, food safety and other legislation. In Scotland many of these people will be REHIS members, particularly those working in local environmental health departments and for other regulators. REHIS does not believe that there is anything fundamentally wrong with either the core environmental health legislation or regulatory systems.

Most environmental health enforcement is achieved by advice, education, advocacy, support and persuasion. Environmental Health staff aim to work with businesses to achieve good standards of public protection and employee safety. Formal enforcement action is only used when other options fail. However, it is important for public safety, and to ensure a level playing field for those businesses who strive to achieve good standards, that effective steps are taken to deal with businesses who do not comply with the law.

More recent environmental health legislation has seen the introduction of more modern enforcement tools. These often are more immediate and act as an effective deterrent. A notable example is fixed penalty notices for the smoke-free legislation which was an important factor in ensuring the early and continuing success of the smoking ban. Scottish local authorities combine the various aspects of environmental health legislation when they deal with businesses. This is an approach, underpinned by the holistic training and approach of Environmental Health Officers, which gives maximum protection to the wider population.

REHIS believes that environmental health professionals protect the public by using advice, education, advocacy, support and persuasion to achieve compliance with environmental health legislation. Formal enforcement is used when it is needed and when it is appropriate to the circumstances. Enforcement must continue to be used to protect public health, to tackle unlawful activity and ensure


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a fair and level playing field for legitimate business activity.

Challenge 4 – Healthier and safer communities through education, training and qualificationsOne of the most effective ways of improving public health and gaining maximum value from limited resources is through education, training and qualifications. The Institute is Scotland’s awarding body for a wide range of courses and qualifications including food hygiene, food and health, HACCP, occupational health and safety, and infection control all of which are aimed at the general public as well as industry. The courses leading to these qualifications are presented by a network of over 700 REHIS Approved Training Centres throughout Scotland as well as a number abroad.

REHIS recognised the need for Food Hygiene training for school students some years ago and the Food Hygiene in Schools Initiative was launched to meet that need. Schools can be approved to deliver the Introduction to Food Hygiene and Elementary Food Hygiene Courses to students aged 13-18.

“In 2015 almost 18,000 school children in 208 secondary schools took part in our ‘Introduction to Food Hygiene’ and ‘Elementary Food Hygiene’ courses giving a greater awareness of food health. The long term impact of increasing children’s knowledge of this important area of public health can only be positive and we should be looking to have this as part of every child’s education.” The Institute is grateful to Food Standards Scotland for providing funding for schools in 2014.

The Institute now has 21 standard qualifications available for delivery by Approved Training Centres. During 2014 around 50,000 certificates were issued for these qualifications.

There appears to be reluctance within the Environmental Health profession at local authority level in engaging in diet and nutrition perhaps reflecting on the essentially statutory nature of food law enforcement. Glasgow has many acknowledged health problems and inequalities and known to have a strong association with poorer health and shorter life expectancy than other areas. It is apposite, ladies and gentlemen, at this point to mention that in spite of tight budgets and decline in the number of frontline EHOs, Glasgow City Council Environmental Health Department have just published a final report on Saturated Fats in Takeaway Meals in Glasgow. It is envisaged that such a project aimed at establishing the degree to which a local authority environmental health service may influence businesses to make significant

changes to preparation/processing methods and thereby reduce the intake of saturated fat by consumers could be mirrored in other parts of Scotland.

REHIS believes some of the most effective ways to use scarce resources to improve public health is through education, training and qualifications. Employers, employees and members of the public should be supported through cost effective training that will help them to be safer and healthier in their environment.

Copies of the Manifesto were sent to all prospective MSPs and all political parties were invited to comment.

Recognition of the Environmental Health ProfessionFollowing the 2015 Review of Public Health in Scotland: Strengthening the Function and re-focusing action for a healthier Scotland, which was published on 11 February 2016, REHIS is pleased to see the recognition of the Environmental Health Profession, working in improving, monitoring and enforcing public and environmental health standards. The report states “Environmental Health Officers are core to the delivery of health protection in Scotland, including the joint health protection team”. One of the particular remits of the Review Group was to examine workforce planning and development, succession planning and resourcing within the multi-disciplinary core public health workforce. REHIS endorses the findings, conclusions and recommendations and is prepared and ready to assist, with other health professionals in implementing the recommendations.

Forum Speakers There are seven principle subjects which the Forum will cover over the next day and a half, namely: Food Safety; Food Standards; Occupational Health and Safety; Public Health; Waste Management; Built Management and Pollution Control.

We are delighted to have distinguished speakers at today’s Forum and I would like to welcome them all. We will start with Professor Carol Tannahill, from Glasgow University and Director of Glasgow Centre for Population Health who will be speaking on ‘Working differently to Improve Scotland’s Health and Wellbeing, her presentation will be followed by Siobhan McEvoy, Chief EHO, Ireland who will present on ‘Environmental Health Policy and Practice – a National Perspective’.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major problem worldwide and we welcome Dr Eleanor Anderson, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, who will present on ‘Control of Antimicrobial Resistance in Scotland.’ Now that the curtains seem to have been finally drawn on smoking


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at NHS Scotland hospitals, Gerry McLaughlin, Chief Executive, NHS Health Scotland will speak on ‘The Development and Implementation of Guidance on Banning Smoking on NHS Scotland Premises’. Robert Steenson, Director of Housing and Environment, Stirling Council will present on ‘Tackling Serious Organised Crime’.

We start the afternoon with Geoff Ogle, Chief Executive, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) on one year on after the New Food Body was established in Scotland. Food crime has always featured highly in the minds of food consumers and Ron McNaughton from Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit, (FSS) will speak on this. Eilidh Paton, a Chartered EHO with Glasgow City Council will present on ‘Adding Value: The Case for Embedding Diet and Nutrition Advice into Official Controls’. Cleaner air for Scotland is the Scottish Government’s ultimate aim and Andrew Taylor, Air Quality Manager, Scottish Government,

will present on ‘National Modeling and National Low Emission Framework’. We conclude the day with a presentation from Professor Jim Baird on ‘Waste Management as a Profession – Keeping Pace with Developments’. Jim is the President of the Institute of Waste Management.

Tomorrow we continue the Forum with workshops on (i) Occupational Health Safety, (ii) Food Safety/Food Standards, (iii) Public Health and Housing and (iv) Pollution Control/Environmental Protection. These will run in parallel and delegates are kindly requested to only attend the sessions that they have previously registered for.

Finally I take this opportunity to thank members of the Forum working group and Tom Bell, the Chief Executive and his staff and other members of the Institute who assisted me with the organisation and delivery of this year’s Forum.

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ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FORUM 2016 IMPROVING AND PROTECTING SCOTLAND’S HEALTH AND WELLBEING

This year’s Forum was presented at Glasgow Caledonian University where our President, Professor Kofi Aidoo, has been an active teaching and research academic for many years.

The theme of the Forum was improving and protecting Scotland’s health and wellbeing. The first day, Wednesday 27 April, consisted of plenary sessions in the modern and hi-tech Deeprose Lecture Theatre and covered a wide range of topical issues. The second day, Thursday 28 April, consisted of a series of morning workshops in the university’s Centre for Executive Education and covered Food Safety/Food Standards, Health and Safety at Work, Pollution Control/Environmental Protection, and Public Health/ Housing with delegates able to choose any two from the available four workshop options.

Initial feedback suggests that the Forum venue, format and programme were very well received by delegates. An initial report was presented to the Council at its June meeting in Edinburgh and a decision will be taken at the September meeting on the presentation of next year’s event.

Following Kofi Aidoo’s Presidential Welcome and Opening Remarks at the start of the first day there were papers from Professor Carol Tannahill

of Glasgow Centre for Population Health on ‘Working Differently to Improve Scotland’s Health and Wellbeing’ and from Siobhan McEvoy of the Department of Health (Ireland) on ‘Environmental Health Delivery in Ireland: A National Perspective’. Delegates attending the mid-morning session then heard papers on ‘Control of Antimicrobial Resistance’ from Dr Eleanor Anderson on ‘The Development and Implementation of Guidance on Banning Smoking in NHS Scotland Premises’ from Gerry McLaughlin and on ‘Tackling Serious Organised Crime’ from Robert Steenson.

by Tom Bell, Chief Executive

The President. Professor Carol Tannahill.


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The early afternoon session consisted of presentations from Geoff Ogle of Food Standards Scotland on ‘Food Standards Scotland – One Year On’, from Ron McNaughton of Food Standards Scotland on ‘Scottish Food Crime and Incidents/Food Crime’ and from Eilidh Paton of Glasgow City Council on ‘Adding Value: The Case for Embedding Diet and Nutrition Advice into Food Official Controls’.

The late afternoon session heard two presentations ‘Cleaner Air for Scotland – National Modelling Framework and National Low Emission Framework’ from Andrew Taylor, the Scottish Government, and ‘Waste Management as a Profession – Keeping Pace with Developments’ from Professor Jim Baird, Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and Glasgow Caledonian University.

The social highlights of the Forum were the Civic Reception and the Forum Dinner on the Wednesday evening. The Civic Reception, held immediately before the Forum Dinner, was generously hosted, on behalf of Glasgow City Council, by Bailie Hanif Raja in the Picture Gallery of the impressive Glasgow City Chambers.

On the morning of the second day delegates had the option of attending two out of four workshops. The workshops covered Occupational Health and Safety, Food Safety/Food Standards, Public Health and Housing, and Pollution Control/Environmental Protection. Each workshop consisted of three twenty minute presentations with ten minutes available for questions at the end of each presentation with the emphasis on interaction between presenters and delegates.

In the Occupational Health and Safety Workshop Mark Wilson of McKenzie Construction Ltd presented ‘Flowers and Fitba’, followed by Mike Cross of the Health and Safety Executive on ‘Helping Great Britain Work Well’ and by Gary Aitken of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on ‘Health and Safety Enforcement in Scotland – a Changing Landscape’.

In the Food Safety/Food Standards Workshop Pat Smyth of Food Standards Scotland presented ‘Food Information Law – Enforcement Officers’ Guide’ and was followed by Courtney Craig a final year BSc Environmental Health degree student at The University of the West of Scotland on ‘Control of Cross Contamination in Relation to Escherichia Coli O157:H7 and the Protection of the Greater Public’ and by Alistair Little of Fife Council on ‘Micro-brewing and Micro-distilling: Coming to a Town Near You’.

In the Public Health/Housing Workshop Annie Flint of Under One Roof Scotland presented ‘Under One Roof: The New Online Resource for Tenement and Flat Owners in Scotland and Their Advisors’ and was followed by Kristen Hubert of Shelter Scotland on ‘A Partnership Approach to Empty Homes in Scotland’ and by Kerri Milne a third year BSc Environmental Health degree student at The University of the West of Scotland on ‘World Health – It’s in Our Hands: Can we Beat Ebola?’.

Delegates attending the fourth and final workshop on Pollution Control/Environmental Protection heard presentations from Colin Gray of Aberdeenshire Council on ‘Lessons from Aberdeenshire Flooding 2015/2016’, from Harry Preston of Stirling Council on ‘Contaminated Land – Blanefield Contaminated Land Issue’ and from Bronah Byrne and David Duffy of South Lanarkshire Council on ‘Biomass: South Lanarkshire Council Perspective and Experience’.

The PowerPoint presentations for most of the presentations are available for download from the Institute’s website (www.rehis.com).

Kofi Aidoo offers his sincere thanks to all the speakers and session chairmen for their valuable contributions to the Forum, to all delegates and guests for their presence and enthusiasm and to the members of the Forum Working Group and staff for their contributions to the organisation and presentation of the Forum.

Siobhán McEvoy. Dr Eleanor Anderson.


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Gerry McLaughlin.

Geoff Ogle.

Eilidh Paton.

Robert Steenson.

Ron McNaughton.

Andrew Taylor.


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The President, ProfessorKofi Aidoo.

Registration in full swing.

The President closesthe Plenary Session.

Delegates enjoying arefreshment break.

Catching up with colleagues.

Awaiting the final session.


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INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COUNCIL MEETING, AGM AND WORLD CONGRESS

The Federation endorses and supports World Congresses on Environmental Health, which are hosted by member organisations. Congresses are intended to promote education, exchange of ideas and experience, and facilitate personal contact. Each Congress is structured to provide the broadest range of environmental health education and opportunities for individuals to interact. An opportunity is also given to each member organisation, as part of Council meetings, to update colleagues about environmental health in their particular area.

Congress programmes are intended to have a local, as well as an international flavour, with a combination of local and international speakers and topics. Parallel sessions and workshops are required to be part of the programme, as well as technical tours.

IFEH Council meeting, Annual General Meeting and meetings in IFEH Regional Groups are facilitated in connection to a World Congress. IFEH World Congresses are held biennially and the 2016 event, which included meetings of its Council and regional and special interest groups, was held in Lilongwe, Malawi from 1 to 6 May.

Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries, ranking 160th out of 182 countries on the Human Development Index. Progress towards reaching the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty has been limited. According to the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report for 2009, about 74 per cent of the population still lives below the income poverty line of US$1.25 a day and 90 per cent below the US$2 a day threshold. The proportion of poor and ultra-poor is highest in rural areas of the southern and northern parts of the country.

Tobacco is Malawi’s largest export cash crop, accounting for over 50 per cent of export earnings, followed by tea and sugar. Malawi is able to produce around 3 million tonnes of maize, which is above the self-sufficiency level of 2.3 million tonnes. However, in poor seasons, this year being one, widespread food shortages are experienced. Many households with large families and small plots suffer chronic food insecurity and malnutrition. Life expectancy at birth, according to 2013 data, is 55.2 years.

Malawi is often referred to as the “warm heart of Africa” because of the warmth and friendliness of the

people. Malawians are very easy going and typically live with their extended families in huts that are grouped together in villages. A spirit of cooperation prevails as family members share both work and resources. One thing that always strikes me about certain parts of Africa, and Malawi is no exception, is the number of people you see walking. Every road is met by tracks leading from villages and people appear to walk everywhere. Malawi has a population of about 16 million (2013 est.), with 90% of the population living in the rural areas, so this, together with the cost and availability of transportation means that people walk a lot. Certainly one healthy pursuit that we in northern Europe could well follow.

The Congress was spread over four days with a mixture of plenary and workshop sessions. The highlight for me, apart from the opening ceremony, was an Expert Panel discussion on day one entitled ‘Managing epidemics, Ebola and Zika viruses’. The session was co-convened by the World Health Organisation and the Public Health Institute of Malawi and looked at the ongoing challenges managing emerging epidemics, in particular, Ebola and Zika virus in resource-poor settings. It was reported that the person to person spread of Ebola was exacerbated by the consumption of bush meat and this was a particular problem for health professionals to convince the local population of the danger of continuing with this practice. The importance of community elder involvement was an essential part of disease vector control here as was the hard work, and expertise, of Environmental Health Officers with other health professionals, working in local communities. Much was said about the disposal of the dead and the precautions required ensuring containment of the virus at this stage. Ninety eight percent of bodies were disposed of within 24 hours and it was reported that as a result of strict burial protocols, no member of the burial teams contracted Ebola. Sadly some health professionals working with victims in villages did become infected and died. It was also reported that the Ebola vaccine developed, VSV-EBOV, was successful. Turning to Zika virus in Africa 1% of women who contracted the virus during pregnancy have had children who developed brain/head problems whereas in Brazil, doctors say that the figure is nearer 20%. The session was very well attended and led to much discussion on the spread and containment of these two viruses due to the fact that the speakers were, and to a certain extent

by Bernard Forteath, REHIS Council representative to IFEH


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still are, involved in the day-to-day management of the outbreak. On day two there was an interesting panel session on Climate Change and Health led by Humphreys Masuku, WHO Malawi (Humphreys was previously the Chief Environmental Health Officer for the Ministry of Health, Malawi) focusing on the challenges that climate change has on global health issues, particularly in Africa. Also included in this session was a presentation by Dr Tracy Morse, a Scots EHO who lives and works in Malawi, on Community Health Approaches, work she and others are involved within rural Malawi.

The IFEH meetings which took place on the Sunday and Monday prior to the Congress opening included the Annual Council Meeting and the Annual General Meeting. These meetings were followed later in the week by meetings of the European Group; Africa Group; African Academy of Environmental Health and REHIS representatives took part in each of these meetings. The AGM elected Peter Archer, CIEH, as President for the next two years and Selva Mudaly, South African Institute of Environmental Health, as President Elect. Both are experienced senior environmental health professionals who are respected within their own organisations and further afield. We can, therefore, look forward to meetings being well managed and run over the next few years. These appointments are welcomed by REHIS who, it has to be said, have been particularly unhappy at the way meetings have been conducted over the last four years. The Council meeting, which preceded the AGM, considered routine reports from the IFEH Board on finance and membership issues together with proposals for extending the work of the Federation. However, REHIS members again raised concerns about communication with the membership, particularly the frequency of the IFEH magazine and Newsletters. Only two editions of the quarterly Newsletter have been produced in the last three years and the magazine has failed to be produced twice yearly for some time now. However, the magazine depends very much, like our own REHIS Journal, on the Editor receiving copy from its members. The Council approved the theme for World Environmental Health Day 2016, proposed by REHIS members, which is ‘Tobacco Control…a response to the global tobacco epidemic’. World Environmental Health Day is held annually on 26 September which is the anniversary of the setting up of the Federation. Smoking, and the use of tobacco, is the primary cause of preventable illness and death. Six million people are killed globally by tobacco every year so it is appropriate that the IFEH should do all it can to support tobacco control. In order to provide a legacy

from the World Congress being held in Malawi the IFEH is considering support for a sanitation project to provide sanitary and menstrual hygiene facilities in a school. The provision of these facilities will ensure that young girls do not miss one week out of four in school attendance. Apart from the benefit to personal hygiene, continuity in education will be another advantage. Currently the IFEH is working with local professionals in drawing up a budget and associated timeline. Minutes of the Council meeting, AGM, and the Europe Group will appear of the IFEH website www.ifeh.org.

Malawi is not the most accessible country on earth and many attendees experienced problems getting there and at the same time as their luggage! Many had visa and communication problems to deal with prior to the Congress taking place. However, these problems were overcome and what was provided by Malawian colleagues was well worth the effort. The organisation of a World Congress takes a lot of time, effort and commitment so the local association, the Malawi Environmental Health Association, deserve a hearty vote of thanks for their hard work in organising this very successful event. They are a relatively young organisation, and not particularly well off, but what they achieved in hosting a world class international event was a remarkable achievement. Communication problems, visa and money transfer issues were largely overcome thanks to the assistance of Dr Tracy Morse whose unstinting attention to detail was evident for all to see…she even managed to get an emergency dental appointment for one of our Irish colleagues who broke a tooth one evening. Apparently he was very brave and even refused an injection prior to treatment! Judging from feedback received from delegates I think all participants left Lilongwe appreciating why Malawi rightly claims to be the ‘warm heart of Africa’.

Editor’s note:The importance of active member organisation participation in the formal meetings of the International Federation of Environmental Health Council cannot be over-stressed. Over the years agenda items of huge importance to REHIS and the Environmental Health Profession in Scotland (and further afield) have been tabled and discussed. One such item was a proposal for the Federation to host an International Passport Scheme for Environmental Health Professionals. If agreed this could well have compromised the Institute’s independent role to determine the content of its Diploma in Environmental Health and the qualifications required to practice as an Environmental Health Officer in Scotland/UK. The Institute’s right to determine the


15

qualification required is given in its Royal Charter and is also enshrined in EU/UK legislation regarding the recognition of professional qualifications and which identifies the Institute as a UK Competent Authority for Environmental Health.

The Institute’s representatives at IFEH Council meetings have, with other like minded member organisations, prevented actions that would not be in the best interests of member organisations or the worldwide environmental health community.

If we are not represented at IFEH Council meetings we can’t ensure the protection of our interests and the development of IFEH as a progressive organisation

which is established to care for the environment in the interest of world health.

Delegates at the IFEH World Congress in Malawi.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

FinanceThe Institute’s financial position remains robust and the principle income source continues to be from community training. The Treasurer advised that the finances to the end of the last financial year were in a healthy state.

The Committee agreed the draft budget for 2016/17 was presented to and agreed at the Council meeting on 4 June.

Public and Media RelationsA press release on the Institute’s ‘An Environmental Health Manifesto for Scotland’ document was issued ahead of the Annual Environmental Health Forum opening on 27 April 2016.

The Chief Executive also reported that he had been interviewed by BBC Scotland on the tenth anniversary of the ban on smoking in enclosed public places in Scotland. The interview had been transmitted, along with other interviews on this topic, following a reception celebrating the ban at the Scottish Parliament earlier in the month.

Liaison with Environmental Health Association of Ireland (EHAI)The annual liaison meeting with the Association will be hosted by the Institute in Edinburgh on 19 August. The President and Senior Vice-President attended their annual All Ireland Environmental Health Forum in Galway on 26 and 27 May.

World Environmental Health DayThe Committee agreed that the Institute will mark this year’s World Environmental Health Day on 26 September 2016 which this year is ‘Tobacco Control: A Response to the Global Pandemic’. After much discussion it was agreed that the Institute will support World Environmental Health Day by inviting primary 6/ 7 pupils at a number of primary schools to demonstrate, through a medium of their choice, how the smoke free legislation in Scotland has benefited them.

The initiative will aim to highlight the benefits that 10 year olds have enjoyed after 10 years of smoke free legislation.

A sum of £2,500 will be available and a deadline for entries of 30 June 2016 was set.

REHIS Roadshows 2016A number of membership Roadshows will be held throughout Scotland this year. Watch this space!

Liaison with Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)On 5 March 2016 the Council agreed to remit further discussions on this matter to this meeting of the Management Committee and that the matter is included on the agenda as the Substantive item at the next meeting of the Council on 4 June 2016. It was also agreed that the President will report on this matter at the Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh on 18 November 2016.

by Drew Hall, Chairman

***


16

The Chief Executive provided the committee with a detailed REHIS and CIEH Timeline of the relationship in recent years. A summarised timeline document was presented to the REHIS Council on 5 June.

Management of REHIS WebsiteThe re-vamp and update of the website was well underway. This includes the progression of the e-commerce project. The launch of the new look site will take place during the summer.

Proposal to Review the Terms of Reference of the Institute’s Working GroupsAs it has been a number years since the last review it was agreed that the Terms of Reference of the Scottish Pollution Control Coordinating Committee be used as a template for the Public Health and Housing Working Group and for the Health and Safety Coordination Group. A small adhoc group will develop drafts of the new Terms of Reference.

BILL MCKENZIE, 1937–2016The Institute acknowledges with sadness the death of Bill McKenzie, an Environmental Health Officer and former member of the Institute.

Bill McKenzie who was born at home in Glasgow on 28th November 1937 died at home on 15th June 2016.

A Personal Appreciation by Donald StewartAround 200 mourners joined with family members at Perth Crematorium to remember and celebrate the life of a friend and colleague who had contributed to our profession firstly with the Sanitary Inspectors’ Association and then with REHIS.

Bill spent his very early years in Glasgow but the family moved to Pitlochry in Perthshire in 1947 during a severe winter. He was educated locally and finished secondary school as Dux of Breadalbane Academy.

He worked for the Met Office in London before national service in the Royal Air Force after which in 1959 he trained in Perth Burgh as an Apprentice Sanitary Inspector where duties were wide and varied including smoke control and supervising the exhumation of Polish war dead.

Taking a post as a qualified Assistant Sanitary Inspector with Perth and Kinross County Council saw Bill spend 3 years in the Dunblane office where duties included food hygiene, street lighting and post mortem examination of food animals in the local abattoir. It was while here that he met his future wife Morag. A move to Head Office in Perth saw an increase in responsibility which included

being Burgh Surveyor for Abernethy and duties as food and drugs sampling officer for the whole County. Morag also worked for a short time here as a food hygiene officer until she and Bill had their first child.

1971 brought a move back to Pitlochry and the post of Divisional Environmental Health Officer there with responsibility for a large area and a staff of 5 in the office and 43 manual workers. Duties here encompassed all areas of environmental health, building control, waste and public conveniences, a much more varied workload than present officers experience.

After internal council reorganisation Bill had moved to Perth again this time in a more specialist role as Principal Environmental Health Officer - Environmental Protection, a post he held until early retirement/voluntary redundancy in 1995. A cardiac arrest in 1991 which kept Bill off work for 6 months before returning in May 1992 must have contributed to his decision here.

In retirement his interest in curling which had started with his office colleagues continued as did regular attention to his golf handicap, his garden and the game of bowls which he enjoyed with Morag.

Bill was a gentleman, firm but fair with the public and his staff and a stalwart of his profession.

He is survived by his wife Morag with whom he recently celebrated 50 happy years of marriage, their two children and five grandchildren.

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DEBATING A HOT TOPIC

I was invited by the Environmental Health Association of Ireland recently to mediate in a debate centred around the contentious issue of e-cigarettes. The debate session was part of the All Ireland Environmental Health Forum entitled ‘Climate for Change’ held in the beautiful city of Galway on the 26 and 27 May.

I’m happy to report that a great many topics were discussed across the course of the two days including environmental health sustainability, communicable and non-communicable disease, migrant related environmental health challenges, recreational water regulation, and alcohol marketing and advertising regulation but the ‘Big Debate’ of the first day was entitled “This House maintains that e-cigarettes are a major advancement in public health” and this is what is being written about here. This is not an attempt to reproduce the debate verbatim but is instead a representation of the experience of the debate mediator.

Speaking for the motion was Martin Dockrell of Public Health England where he is Tobacco Control Programme Lead. Martin joined PHE in February 2016 after 7 years at Action on Smoking and Health in England and has a notable history in sexual and mental health work. Speaking against the motion was Professor Luke Clancy, Director General of the Tobacco Free Research Institute Ireland, Consultant Physician, St James Hospital. Luke led the support for the introduction of the Smoke Free Workplace Legislation in 2004 when Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce smoke free bars and restaurants. His current research includes e-cigarette usage in school students and plain packaging of tobacco, ‘Horizon 2020’ projects on smoking in children, guidelines for treatment of smoking cessation and measurement of health effects of second hand smoke in exempted areas.

The format of the date was simple and measured, to ensure both parties had equal opportunity to plead their case and influence the voting audience. A Facebook feed was set up to allow additional audience participation and the Facebook feed was projected onto two large screens in the debating hall. After being introduced, each of the two speakers had 5 minutes in which to state their view with Martin Dockrell being the advocate for the motion and Professor Clancy speaking against the motion. A further few minutes were gifted to each speaker to rebut the opening statements of the other and a final summing up was in place for each speaker to make a final grab for the attention, understanding and agreement of the voting audience before them.

As mediator it was a pleasure to sit between two eloquent speakers making their case. Martin Dockrell stated what, for many, is undeniable, that e-cigarettes are a less harmful alternative to traditional tobacco use. Martin brought life to his viewpoint during the rebuttal phase of the debate with his use of personal stories of smokers having the option to move away from tobacco by using e-cigarette/vaping and reiterated the public health gains that could be realised if e-cigarettes/vaping was taken up by smokers instead of smoking.

Luke Clancy gave his opening remarks with clarity and precision, pointing out the many unknowns about e-cigarettes/vaping and putting forward a view supported by study that e-cigarettes/vaping are less effective than the currently available smoking cessation services. He questioned amongst other things, why Public Health England had a position of supporting a technology that was unproven and was less effective than smoking cessation services.

During the debate, and thanks to the technical support being provided by Association, I was able to take a sample of audience Facebook questions and put them to the speakers before the final summing up. Questions from the audience ranged from use of flavours and other compounds in vaping mixtures and their safety to the apparent promotion of vaping to children, the role of tobacco companies in the e-cigarette/vaping industry, the industries attempt to influence government policy through e-cigarette ownership and the extent and effectiveness of regulation over vaping mixtures and devices. These were thought provoking questions and were possibly a good reflection of the range of questions many people in Ireland and in the UK would ask. Both Martin Dockrell and Luke Clancy gave their informed views in responding to the questions before moving to a final carefully-thought-out summing up.

The audience of Environmental Health Professionals and other Public Health Professionals listened carefully to the speakers during each phase of the debate, posed questions and considered the answers before having the final question put to them. They were asked for a show of hands for the motion ‘This House maintains that e-cigarettes are a major advancement in public health’ and then against the motion. In the show of hands for and against, there were a little over a dozen hands raised for the motion and around three times that number raised against the motion. Whilst the motion was resoundingly put down, it was notable that there were an even greater

by Martin Keeley, Member of REHIS Council with responsibility for tobacco related issues


18

number of hands that were not raised either for or against the motion. The ‘undecided’ portion of the audience were perhaps holding off on judgement until a later date when there may be more information and evidence available on which to base their decision.

In any case, the debate brought forward the different viewpoints and approaches to an issue which has divided many in the public health community and which continues to do so. The future will allow us to view how current regulation serves to protect public health, will likely provide information on what is currently unknown

and may shed light on the unknown unknowns created by the growth industry that is e-cigarettes.

The debate ended with the audience acknowledging the contribution of the speakers, and the mediator being thankful of the opportunity to be involved in the ‘Big Debate’. I would like to extend my thanks again to the Environmental Health Association of Ireland for the invitation to mediate and to the speakers for their courtesy and professionalism during the Forum and its ‘Big Debate’.

LESLEY LEES, 1966-2016The Institute acknowledges with sadness the death of Lesley Lees, a Chartered Environmental Health Officer.

Lesley Lees who passed away on Sunday 7 August 2016 had been suffering from cancer.

Before coming to the Environmental Health Profession, Lesley was an accomplished chef and worked for some time with celebrity chef Nick Nairn.

She commenced training as a Student Environmental Health Officer with the Highland Council in 1997 and graduated with a BSc (Hons) Environmental Health degree from the University of Strathclyde in 2001. Lesley passed the Institute’s Diploma in Environmental Health professional examination to qualify as an Environmental Health Officer in October 2001 and was appointed as an Environmental Health Officer with Highland. In 2003 she took up an appointment as an Environmental Health

Officer with Dundee City Council. In 2007 Lesley achieved Chartered Environmental Health Officer status. In 2009 she left the employ of Dundee City Council to establish her own consultancy, Practical Environmental Health Solutions Limited, and undertook consultancy and contract work across the UK including London.

Until her death Lesley lived in Oathlaw, by Forfar, Angus.

Lesley will be sadly missed by her partner of many years Derek ‘Del’ MacLean, by her parents Arlene and Sandy, by her step-father Jim, her sister Audrey and by many in Scotland’s environmental health community.

The Editor offers the Institute’s sincere thanks to Lesley’s former colleagues at the Highland Council for their assistance in preparing this appreciation.

***


19

EXAMINATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE

The last meeting of the Examinations and Professional Standards Committee took place on 20 April 2016.

Memorandum of Understanding between REHIS and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation for the accreditation of the Post-Graduate Diploma in Food Safety and Control in Pakistan

Previously REHIS had worked with UNIDO in the accreditation process of a number of courses. However as UNIDO is no longer supporting the project with the Universities involved it was not considered appropriate for REHIS to continue and therefore the Memorandum of Understanding has come to an end.

European Professional Qualifications DirectiveThe Committee were advised that an outstanding enquiry from a Maltese national regarding her eligibility to practice in Scotland as an Environmental Health Officer had not been progressed by the individual concerned.

A seminar is being held in London shortly to provide updates on the Directive which will be attended by the Director of Professional Development.

MSc Environmental Health Degree Course, University of StrathclydeOne student remains on this course and the extended accreditation will be withdrawn when the student successfully completes the course.

MSc Environmental Health Degree Course (by distance learning), University of DerbyThis course was originally designed for local authority technical staff to pursue a post-graduate route into the Profession. After consideration of a report from the Acting Director of Professional Development the Committee agreed to extend entry to individuals residing in Scotland who are in possession of the pre requisite entry qualifications to maintain a post graduate route into environmental health for all.

The course itself is due for re-accreditation by REHIS in September 2016. However the course leader had advised REHIS that an internal re evaluation of the course was imminent and accordingly the Committee agreed to defer the re accreditation process until later in the year. A meeting is scheduled to take place between the course leader and the Chief Executive and Director of Professional Development to facilitate the final process.

BSc (Hons) Environmental Health Degree Course, University of the West of Scotland

Early in the year the University requested approval for a module change which involved the removal of certain elements. After detailed consideration by the Acting Director of Professional Development which determined that the learning outcomes were essentially the same and the elements that had been removed were adequately covered in another module, and in consultation with me, it was agreed to accept the change and the University were advised accordingly. The Committee homologated the decision. The course itself is due for re-accreditation in September/October 2016.

Update on Scheme of Professional PracticeThe previously agreed recommendations of the short life working group were re-submitted to the Committee as part of an action plan incorporating prioritisation and timescales. It was agreed to publicise this important information as widely and extensively as possible through a number of routes including Journal and newsletter articles.

Professional ExaminationsOn consideration of the outcome of the diet on 8 and 9 March 2016, concern was expressed at the level of preparedness of some candidates and it was agreed that the Director of Professional Development would provide feedback to students and training advisors at future visits to local authorities.

The next diet has been arranged for 25 and 26 October 2016.

Continuing Professional Development SchemeAs previously agreed CPD participants must submit a written submission at least once in every consecutive three-year period which is designed to enhance the opportunity for participants to experience new learning through a variety of methods.

A briefing note on the written submission has been prepared and approved for circulation to members.

It must relate to a core environmental health activity:

• Food Safety• Food Standards• Occupational Health & Safety• Public Health

by Colin Wallace, Chairman


20

• Built Environment• Pollution Control• Waste Management

and incorporate at least one of the following concepts

• Evaluative Practice• Sustainable Development• Environmental Epidemiology• Communication• Collaborative Working• Public Health Challenges

but most of all it must demonstrate new learning.

Funding

The Committee were reminded that grant funding of up to £10,000 is available on a match-funded basis to local authorities wishing to train student Environmental Health Officers or Food Safety Officers, or in some circumstances, to individual unattached students. Applications should be made to the Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland.

Robert Howe has now completed his period as Acting Director of Professional Development and handed over full responsibility for the post to John Sleith. I wish to record my thanks and appreciation to Robert for a job well done in moving things forward and collaborating closely with John to ensure a seamless transition. I also look forward to working with John in a similar fashion.

BRIAN FRIEL, 1958-2016The Institute acknowledges with sadness the death of Brian Friel, a Chartered Environmental Health Officer and member of the Institute.

A Personal Appreciation by David ParisColleagues past and present were profoundly shocked to learn of the sudden and untimely death of Brian Friel at the end of May. Brian had taken early retirement from his post as Public Health Team Leader with Stirling Council at the end of March 2016.

Brian was brought up in the Dennistoun area of Glasgow, the youngest of four children, and was educated at St Mungo’s Academy. He joined the then City of Glasgow District Council as a Student Environmental Health Officer in 1976 working in the South West Division of the City. He attended the then Glasgow College of Food Technology on a block release basis for some four years, which was the norm for Student EHOs at that time, gaining his Diploma in Environmental Health in 1980. He continued to develop his skills in the South West of the City, but, wishing to enhance his knowledge and develop his career, Brian stopped work to attend Strathclyde University and subsequently obtain the BSc (Hons) in Environmental Health. After graduation a spell with Midlothian Council dealing with waste management issues followed.

With an increasing legislative focus on noise, combined with advances in noise instrumentation, Glasgow City Council had created a specialist Noise Control Division which Brian joined in 1985. With his aptitude for maths and physics, it was an area of work which he found stimulating and challenging and during his time there Brian elected to undertake the Master of Science in Acoustics, Vibration and Noise Control at Heriot-Watt

University, which he obtained in 1990.

His knowledge and skills found him working for an acoustic consultancy - The Robin McKenzie Partnership in 1991 before moving to Renfrew District Council where he worked in the Pollution Control Division with his expertise in, and knowledge of acoustics proving invaluable. He was heavily involved in the inception of the permanent aircraft noise monitoring and control system at Glasgow Airport through the Development Control process. Following local government reorganisation in 1996 and the introduction of the 1995 Environment Act, Brian became heavily involved with Air Quality issues and wrote many of the Air Quality Review and Assessment Reports for Renfrewshire Council.

In 2006 he was promoted to the post of Public Health Team Leader in Renfrewshire and became involved with a wider and different range of issues than had previously been the case. His knowledge, character and experience resulted in similar work beckoning at Stirling Council where he moved to become the Public Health Team Leader in 2008. Following his early retirement in March, Brian had only recently started working for Envirocentre Consultancy as a Senior Acoustic Consultant.

Brian frequently attended a wide range of meetings and seminars throughout Central Scotland concerning a range of issues encompassing Public Health, Air Quality, Noise and Contaminated Land and many REHIS members will either know him or have spoken with him.

A dedicated family man, Brian will be greatly missed by Mary, his wife, their three children Michael, Matthew and Mary-Clare, and two grandchildren. His many friends and colleagues will miss his help, generosity, knowledge

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HEPATITIS E VIRUS IN SCOTLAND

In line with the rest of the UK, hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is emerging as an increasingly important public health issue in Scotland. Reports of HEV infection have increased significantly in recent years, from less than 20 in 2011 to more than 150 in 2014. Whilst some of the increase in reports of HEV may reflect increased awareness and improved ascertainment, it is believed there has also been a genuine increase in the incidence of HEV in Scotland.

HEV is a member of the Hepevirus genus within the family of Hepeviridae, within which four genotypes (G1-4) are recognised. The four genotypes are spread across the globe and differ from each other in their geographic distribution, epidemiology and clinical presentation. Infections in the developing world are usually linked to G1 (South Asia, Middle East and Africa) and G2 viruses (Mexico), and the virus is usually transmitted by the consumption of food or water contaminated with human sewage. In contrast, cases in the developed world are mainly sporadic and are linked to G3 (Europe, North America and Japan) and G4 viruses (South East Asia). Both G3 and G4 viruses are enzootic and widespread in a number of animal species including domesticated pigs, wild boar and deer. Likely routes of infection are believed to include the consumption of contaminated and undercooked, or raw, pig and game meat, processed pork and shellfish.

The majority of HEV infections are asymptomatic. Among symptomatic cases symptoms include jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, fever and nausea. HEV infection is most often acute and self-limiting, although poor outcome has been associated with those with pre-existing chronic liver disease and immunosuppressed cases may develop chronic infection. In rare cases HEV can prove fatal, particularly in pregnant women, but this seems not to be the case in the UK, as poor outcome among pregnant women appears to be associated with G1 and G2 viruses. The incubation period ranges from 15 to 60 days (average 40 days),

which can make identifying likely sources of infection more challenging than for many other gastrointestinal pathogens with shorter incubation periods.

Until recently HEV was considered mainly travel-related among those returning from HEV endemic areas. However, indigenous cases are now recognised as an important component of HEV infection in the UK.

Although HEV can affect all ages, the highest incidence of laboratory confirmed cases in Scotland is among males aged 65 years and over. It is currently unknown why the incidence is higher among this group. A similar age-sex profile has also been reported in the rest of the UK.

Compared to other gastrointestinal pathogens, relatively little is understood about the epidemiology, risk factors, the relative importance of different routes of transmission and food vehicles of HEV in Scotland. This makes it difficult to assess the most effective points at which to introduce control measures. In 2014, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) established a Scottish HEV group to ensure a coordinated approach to the public health issues related to HEV. The group includes representation from NHS Board Health Protection Teams, Local Authority Environmental Health Officers, clinicians and virologists. One of the recommendations of this group was the introduction of time limited enhanced surveillance to provide a better understanding of the epidemiology of HEV in Scotland and help inform intervention measures. This enhanced surveillance system started in April 2016 and will run for a period of 12 months. During this time NHS Board Health Protection Teams are asked to complete an enhanced surveillance questionnaire with all acute cases of HEV; depending on local arrangements this may be conducted in conjunction with local environmental health teams. An HEV patient information leaflet has also been developed by the Scottish HEV group and is available on the HPS website.

and expertise in so many areas of work. Brian was someone you could confide in, a man of great integrity and infinite patience. Liked and respected by all who worked with him, he was trustworthy, dependable, honest and exceptionally hard-working. In recent years Brian was extensively involved in resolving the Contaminated Land issues at the former Blanefield Printworks site which was blighting homes on the site. That a number of the affected Blanefield residents, including Community

Council representation, were amongst the large turnout of mourners at the Linn Crematorium attending his funeral illustrated the esteem in which he was held, not just by friends and former colleagues, but by members of the public who he had served in the course of his job. To quote from an elected member in Stirling “Brian was one of the most professional officers I have ever worked with – a nice man and a true gentleman.”

by Dr Alison Smith-Palmer and Dr Gill Hawkins, Health Protection Scotland

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PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOUSING WORKING GROUP

The Public Health and Housing Working Group (PHHWG) one of the Institute’s technical working groups continues to provide a valuable discussion forum for representatives from each local authority in Scotland. The Group is ably Chaired by David Brewster of West Lothian Council supported by Janet Stitt from Inverclyde Council in the role of Secretary. Meetings are held quarterly in Stirling and are always well attended. At the last meeting in March 2016 there were representatives from 21 authorities.

Public Health and Housing UpdateThis year, the PHHWG put together the Public Health and Housing Update held in Edinburgh on 23rd March which provided some excellent speakers on a broad range of subjects including Sue Petch, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR), Aileen Devanny of the Private Rented Housing Panel (PRHP) who explained the roles of their organisations and how they link with the profession. David Gray from Scottish Fire and Rescue provided an informative presentation on their role in the inspection of Houses in Multiple Occupation and clarified the divisions of responsibility between their service and EHOs. As with most Public Health discussion within Scotland, Govanhill featured largely with presentations from Shirley Moncur and Robert Bowditch from Glasgow City Council. Shirley described how they are working in partnership with Govanhill Housing Association (GHA) to improve the standard of private housing in this area including acquisition of properties from failing landlords. So far, they have had 80 offers accepted by private landlords. They have identified 13 landlords where their properties are Below Tolerable Standard with serious issues and have engaged with 4 of these to either improve the properties or sell them on. Of the 9 landlords who haven’t engaged, it is likely that enforcement action will follow including the use of Closing Orders. They are working towards the designation of this area to use Enhanced Enforcement Areas legislation. Robert described the practical difficulties in treating properties in this area for the dreaded bedbugs and cockroaches but how a proactive rather than solely reactive approach is helping them to address the issues this complex area throws at them.

Drew Hall the Institute’s Senior Vice-President and a former PHHWG Chairman and currently the representative for Inverclyde Council provided an informative presentation on dealing with an area of poor housing stock with a view to demolition and regeneration of the area. Ann Connolly from the City of Edinburgh Council described the difficulties local authorities face

in enforcing nuisance legislation with the recent boom in popularity of wood burning stoves in residential areas and the clash with the desire to improve air quality in these areas.

In these ever more constrained financial times, David Brewster from West Lothian provided an insight into how their authority has prioritised their services within Environmental Health so that they can justify dropping services that they struggle to provide. Finally, Dorothy Ogle from the Scottish Government advised on the recent changes to welfare benefits with respect to Funeral Payments and how they hope to make this more accessible and reduce the strain on local authorities who are compelled by the National Assistance Act to organise funerals when financially challenged families cannot afford to do so.

TrainingWithin the terms of reference for this group they are required to identify training needs for enforcement officers and liaise with the Institute’s staff to arrange appropriate seminars, training courses, conferences, etc. In conjunction with the Southern and Northern Centres many training courses that are now regularly available through REHIS have originated as suggestions from this group. In recent times, the Southern and Northern Centres have run Electrical Safety for Tolerable Standard and Housing Repair and Enforcement. A regular request is for training on Statutory Nuisance and it is anticipated that this may be available within this financial year.

Local Authority Representatives on PHHWGAs a well-attended forum for discussion, the minutes of the meetings are always informative and often have links to documents on current topics, so are always worth reading. The delegates who attend vary from recently qualified officers seeking sage advice to seasoned professionals able to offer this. The quality and dedication of these delegates in contributing to these discussions is always appreciated.

As with most groups populated by local authority employees, there comes a time when the retirees have to sign off and leave us to our own devices. Since the last meeting Danny Johnson of Angus Council and Angus Hogg of Highland Council have sailed off into the sunset. We thank them for their contributions to the Group over the years and wish them well in their retirement.

MinutesIf you do not have access to the minutes through your local authority representative, these are posted in the members’ area of the REHIS website.

by Pat Hoey, Member of REHIS Council with responsibility for Public Health and Housing


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THE NEW EATWELL GUIDE AND REVISED SCOTTISH DIETARY GOALSby Dr Gillian Purdon, Diet and Nutrition Advisor, Nutrition Science and Policy, Food Standards Scotland

The new Eatwell Guide was launched in March 2016 and replaces the eatwell plate as the main UK consumer facing resource which shows the types and proportions of foods and drinks that are required for a healthy balanced diet.

The Eatwell Guide shows what a healthy diet should look like over the course of a day or more, not necessarily at every meal time, and was devised to incorporate the new dietary recommendations to increase the intake of fibre and decrease the intake of free sugars.

The key important messages within the Eatwell Guide are:

1. Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.

2. Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, choosing higher fibre or wholegrain versions where possible.

3. Have some dairy or dairy alternatives; choosing lower fat and lower sugar options.

4. Eat some beans, pulses, fish (2 portions a week, one of which should be oily), eggs, meat and other proteins such as tofu and mycoprotein.

5. Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts.

Raisins

Frozenpeas

Choppedtomatoes

Frui

t and

vegetables

Ea

t at l

east

5 p

ortio

ns o

f a va

riety

of fruit a

nd vegetables every day

Cous

Cous

pasta

Whole wheat

Bagels

Porridge

Whole

graincereal

Potatoes

Spaghetti

Rice

Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates

Choose wholegrain or higher �bre versions with less added fat, salt and sugar

Soyadrink

Low fatsoft cheese

Semi

milkskimmed

Low fatPlain

yoghurt

Choose lower fat and

lower sugar optionsDairy and alternatives

Lentils

Tuna

Plainnuts peas

Chick

lowersaltandsugar

Beans

Leanmince

Eat more beans and pulses, 2 portions of sustainably

sourced �sh per week, one of which is oily. Eat less

red and processed meat

Beans, pulses, �sh, eggs, meat and other proteins

Lower fatspread

OilVeg

Oil & spreads

Choose unsaturated oils and use in small amounts


24

Crisps Sauce

6. Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower fat milk and sugar free drinks including tea and coffee are good choices. Fruit juice and/or smoothies should be limited to a total of 150ml per day.

7. If foods high in fat, salt and/or sugar are part of the diet, they should be consumed less often and in small amounts

8. For further information about the Eatwell Guide http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/nutrition-healthy-eating/eating-healthily/eatwell-guide.

The Eatwell Guide is applicable to most individuals regardless of weight, dietary restrictions/ preferences or ethnic origin; however it does not apply to children under two years of age as they have different nutritional needs. It is also important to note that the calories quoted on the Eatwell Guide are applicable to adults only. Nutritional requirements for children can be found on page 7 of the Eatwell booklet.

Crisps

Raisins

Frozenpeas

Lentils

Soyadrink

Cous

Cous

pasta

Whole wheat

Bagels

Porridge

Low fatsoft cheese

Tuna

Plainnuts peas

Chick

Semi

milkskimmed

Choppedtomatoes

lowersaltandsugar

Beans

Whole

graincereal

Potatoes

Spaghetti

Low fatPlain

yoghurt

Leanmince

Lower fatspread

Sauce

OilVeg

Rice

Each serving (150g) contains

of an adult’s reference intakeTypical values (as sold) per 100g: 697kJ/ 167kcal

Check the label on packaged foods

Energy1046kJ250kcal

Fat Saturates Sugars Salt3.0g 1.3g 34g 0.9g

15%38%7%4%13%

Choose foods lower in fat, salt and sugars

Source: Public Health England in association with the Welsh Government, Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland © Crown copyright 2016

Use the Eatwell Guide to help you get a balance of healthier and more sustainable food. It shows how much of what you eat overall should come from each food group.

Eatwell Guide

2000kcal 2500kcal = ALL FOOD + ALL DRINKSPer day

Eat less often andin small amounts

Choose lower fat and

lower sugar options

Eat more beans and pulses, 2 portions of sustainably

sourced fish per week, one of which is oily. Eat less

red and processed meat

Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates

Choose wholegrain or higher fibre versions with less added fat, salt and sugar

Frui

t and

vegetables

Oil & spreads

Ea

t at l

east

5 p

ortio

ns o

f a va

riety

of fruit a

nd vegetables every dayLOW LOW HIGH MED

Choose unsaturated oils and use in small amountsDairy and alternativesBeans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins

6-8a day

Water, lower fat milk, sugar-free drinks including tea and coffee all count.

Limit fruit juice and/or smoothies to a total of 150ml a day.

6-8a day

Water, lower fat milk, sugar-free drinks including tea and coffee all count.

Limit fruit juice and/or smoothies to a total of 150ml a day.


25

Scottish Dietary GoalsThe Scottish Dietary Goals are a set of goals that describe the diet that will improve and support the health of the Scottish population. The dietary goals are set at a population level and indicate the direction of travel, and the extent of the dietary change needed to reduce the burden of obesity and diet-related disease in Scotland. Unlike the Eatwell Guide the Goals are not designed to be consumer facing; they are used to underpin diet and health policy in Scotland and for scientific monitoring purposes.

The national diet is monitored against the Scottish Dietary Goals and has shown that Scotland has been consistently missing its dietary goals over the last 15 years.

A closer look at some of the dietary goals in Scotland:

• We are not eating enough fibre.

• No progress has been made with fruit and vegetables and we remain 1.6 portions away from meeting the goal.

• Our diets are too high in fat and saturated fat.

• We are exceeding the goal for free sugar.

Almost two thirds of adults and a third of children in Scotland are overweight or obese. Monitoring has also shown that poor diet exists across the population

but that the most deprived tend to have the poorest diets; consuming less fibre, fruit and vegetables and oily fish.

The Situation Report, published by Food Standards Scotland, provides further information on the current diet situation in Scotland.

The Scottish Government revised the Scottish Dietary Goals in March 2016 following recommendations from the Food Standards Scotland Board that the Goals be updated to reflect the new recommendations on intakes of sugar and fibre published by the independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).

The revised Scottish Dietary goals have been updated to reflect the new SACN recommendations for average intakes of free sugars to reduce to no more than 5% of total dietary energy, intakes of dietary fibre be increased to 30g/day and total carbohydrate should constitute 50% of total dietary energy (with 5% total energy from free sugars).

The new goals emphasise the size of the challenge in terms of achieving a healthy balanced diet in the Scottish population. The Eatwell Guide as the new consumer facing resource should help with communicating this message to consumers and facilitating dietary change.

Scotland has been consistently missing its dietary goals for

over 15 years


26

HEALTH AND SAFETY CO-ORDINATING GROUP SCOTLAND

FOOD MATTERS

2016 saw the Scottish Health and Safety Co-ordinating Group (HASCOG) reach its 25th anniversary having first met in January of 1991. The Group continues to meet quarterly, with 100th and 101st meetings being held in Edinburgh at the REHIS offices on the 14th of January and 14th of April 2016 respectively, and were attended by representatives of the four regional liaison groups, the Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Partnership Team as well as the HSE Local Authority Unit.

HASCOG actively promotes consistency of enforcement and continues to be recognised as the forum to feed into the Health and Safety Executive/local authority liaison system through HELA and the National Practitioner Forum. In turn the group provides HELA and the Health and Safety Executive effective access to the close local liaison group network that we benefit from in Scotland across the 32 local authorities.

Areas of discussion at the recent meetings in addition to current operational issues have included the launch of the Health and Safety Strategy for Great Britain and the ongoing work by PHASS (Partnership on Health and Safety in Scotland) in developing a new Action Plan for Scotland. Progress on the development of the Action Plan is expected to be reported at the next PHASS meeting in June.

The next meeting of HASCOG is scheduled for

Thursday 13 October 2016 in Edinburgh. If any member has any comments to make then please contact your respective regional representative on HASCOG who will be able to feed this into the group.

Scottish Skin Piercing and Tattooing Working GroupThe Scottish Skin Piercing and Tattooing Working Group continues to convene since its inception in 2006 with the introduction of the Skin Piercing and Tattooing Licensing Order. The Group advise that work is underway on version 1.8 of the local authority Implementation Guide. Much of the work of the group is undertaken via emails and it only meets when necessary. The Group continues to respond to queries from Local Authorities.

Graham Robertson, Chair of the Scottish Skin Piercing and Tattooing Working Group, met with the Scottish Government’s Scottish Cosmetic Intervention Expert Group (SCIEG) in May to lobby them to consider all extreme body modifications that are not currently licensable under the Order. These are to be considered in phase 2 of SCIEG work, with a view to amending the current licensing order i.e. extending the definitions to take in such extreme body modifications. Data gathering will be undertaken via a survey monkey questionnaire to assist with Phase II and to give SCIEG some background information. The survey monkey will be distributed to local authorities at the beginning of June.

Food Standard Scotland and Environmental Health Since its inception in April 2015, FSS has strived to deliver on its challenging and ambitious remit for Scotland. Its consumer protection mission is to independently and consistently inform and advise on food safety and standards, nutrition and labelling, based on evidence and to do so by putting consumer-focus at the centre of its activity. The joint aims of FSS and Environmental Health are of course to make

sure that food made or sold in Scotland is safe to eat, that consumers are informed about what they are eating in a meaningful, easy to understand way and to help consumers make informed choices about good nutrition.

Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison CommitteeFood Standards Scotland, industry representation, Local Authority Environmental Health through the Liaison Group networks in Scotland, The Society of

by Lisa McCann, Member of the REHIS Council with responsibility for health and safety matters

by Martin Keeley, member of REHIS Council with responsibility for food safety and food standards matters

***


27

Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland and of course the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland et al are actively engaged in partnership working through the formally established body of the Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee. The most recent meeting of the committee was held in Stirling on 3 June 2016 and this was preceded by a meeting of the Resources Working Group. Each SFELC meeting works through a significant body of work whilst taking in the outputs of its very active subcommittees, working groups and the contributing Liaison working groups that represent the 32 Local Authorities in Scotland. At its most recent meeting Andy Macleod of Argyle and Bute Council repute and Lorna Reid of Glasgow City Council presented on the large body of work of the Approvals Working Group. The AWG coordinated its activities which led to the production of a document on Verifying Food Safety Management Systems in the approved/ manufacturing sector. Andy Macleod presented on the conceptual matters and Lorna Reid presented on the scope, purpose, format, key components and inspection forms in the document, giving SFELC a keen insight into the document that will shape the future of approvals in Scotland. Andy Morrison of Aberdeen City Council followed this up with a review of the linked document, the Approved Establishments National Protocol. The enormous body of work that has been undertaken to produce these documents is the result of persistent and consistent hard work by committed individuals. Training for staff involved in the approvals process is currently being put together to ensure the best opportunity for consistency in approvals in Scotland is achieved. Through robust processes, high standards in consumer protection can continue to be delivered and legitimate business supported.

SFELC’s sub-committees and working groups take forward their specific remits throughout the year and report on their outputs at SFELC. The Committee heard from the various sub committees progressing the review and development work including development of surveys which provide information to inform the national picture. The linked work streams of the sub committees and working groups are needed to ensure SFELC can deliver effectively as a national committee. The detailed planning and development work carried out by the Sub committees informs the regional liaison group work and the work streams in each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. The effective lines of communication between each of the contributors shows in the consistency of delivery of official controls across Scotland.

Food Security and Food Fraud is an area of focus for all of the partners represented at SFELC and will be for the foreseeable future. SFELC partners are working together to ensure an effective structure with the required mechanisms and procedures is in place to maintain and improve food chain security in Scotland. Updates are planned for future meetings on this important area. Derek Oliver was appointed by the Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee as Chair of National Food Crime Advisory Unit which will progress work between SFELC meetings and report back to SFELC.

Planning for the next set of meetings of SFELC is underway for October and December meetings. The October meeting is to be hosted by FSS at their offices in Aberdeen.

SFELC Resources Working GroupThe Resources Working Group is a critical part of the success of SFELC and considers such items as the essential committee work plan, the anticipated need for training in key areas, the provision of information to businesses to ensure they are well informed about their responsibilities and business is properly engaged with FSS and the LA Environmental Health Community. It also discusses the impact of such developments as the FSS Regulatory Strategy which was recently launched, the critical elements of FSS board meetings as they relate to the working of SFELC and other key matters such as changes to inspection regimes, changes to audit, changes to the code of practice and risk rating system and any consequent impacts. The RSW reports on its activities at the SFELC meeting.

REHIS

PROFESSIONAL COURSES

Health and Safety Update

21 September 2016

Edinburgh

Food Update

22 September 2016

Edinburgh


28

HSE LOCAL AUTHORITY UNIT NEWS

In the last edition I told you about the upcoming launch of the new health and safety strategy ‘Help GB work well’. The strategy is now published and we are sharing case studies on the HSE website to demonstrate real–life examples of how the strategy is working well in practice. One of the case studies highlights the work of PHASS (Partnership for Health and Safety in Scotland). Work-related ill health and injury devastates individuals and their families. It damages profit and can destroy a small business. In making huge demands of the NHS and other services, it costs the Scottish economy alone an estimated £1,039 million annually. PHASS is one of the key organisations to recognise and tackle ill health in Scotland. It was founded over ten years ago, bringing together players in Scotland’s health and safety system to coordinate action between regulators and non-regulators and across reserved and devolved governments. Its aim is to get more value from ‘the system’ through people acting together to improve health and safety.

PHASS is responsible for creating strong networks promoting competent advice to Scottish businesses. This involves helping employers to manage key risks and providing business-to-business support. Its promotion has helped raise awareness of the benefits of healthy workplaces while ensuring a better understanding of the law.

We are looking for further examples of how the new strategy is working in practice. If you would like to share your examples of how you have helped health and safety ‘Help GB Work Well’, please get in touch either via [email protected] or join in the discussion at #HelpGBWorkWell.

LAU recently ran events in Stirling and Aberdeen to allow us to provide updates to EHOs from across Scotland. Over 100 people attended, and as well as the usual operational updates, colleagues from the small business team were present to demonstrate the Health and Safety ABC webpages, whilst members of our sector team covered everything from the Scottish Government’s review of spectator safety in motorsports to colour-run events and trampoline parks.

The afternoon gave us the opportunity for group discussions considering the future of local authority delivery of health and safety regulatory services. We got some good discussions and took away a number of suggestions.

One of the options under consideration is a redraft of the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998 (EA Regulations). We are exploring the possible benefits of changing the existing enforcement allocation to make interpretation simpler and/or altering the enforcing authority boundaries between HSE and local authorities.

We have prepared a questionnaire to establish knowledge of the EA regulations amongst business, regulators and other stakeholders – the understanding of the boundaries between HSE and local authorities and what/ if any practical issues have been encountered. For regulators, we will be asking additional questions about further ways HSE can support competency, and how the EA Regulations affect your ability to meet the requirement of the National Code. The results of the survey will be used to determine if there are options for legislative change which should be further explored; in which case there will be a formal consultation. We expect to open the questionnaire in the next couple of weeks, and will advertise this on Helex (our extranet service for local authority regulators).

HSE have recently welcomed our new chairman, Martin Temple. Martin comes with a wealth of experience, having served on the boards of a wide range of companies, public sector and charity organisations. Prior to joining HSE, he was Chairman of the manufacturing organisation the EEF in 1999, and led an independent triennial review of the Health and Safety Executive in 2014.

And finally….our Chief Executive, Richard Judge, was highlighting the wide range of work HSE are involved in and gave an example - a Panda story … the Edinburgh Zoo pandas need to be vaccinated against canine distemper virus with a genetically modified vaccine. (The normal canine distemper vaccination used in the UK would kill them). Our Microbiology and Biotechnology Unit have been giving advice on the ‘contained use’ of this vaccine so this could happen without harming the environment. Helping to prevent diplomatic issues by ensuring pandas (on loan from the People’s Republic of China) remain protected and are not lost to disease, is not the typical day job, but, stories like this stick in the mind, they show health and safety expertise and advice enabling things to happen - another push back against the ‘elf and safety’ narrative.

by Tracy McTaggart, Health and Safety Executive, Local Authority Unit


29

SCOTTISH POLLUTION CONTROL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE

Scottish Pollution Control Co-ordinating Committee (SPCCC), technical working group of REHIS, continues to be the hub between the liaison groups and the Scottish Government and other interested parties (SEPA, EPS, STEP, SoCOEHS). Attendees are experts and contributors across the main themes of air quality, contaminated land and noise, issues that affect Scotland and beyond are discussed. Iris White is the Chair and Sharon Lindsay is the Secretary and I represent the REHIS Council on the Committee.

There has only been one meeting since our last update in the Spring Journal. I have again split the article into the three main themes and picked out a few subjects covered. Members are reminded that the full approved SPCCC minutes are available in the members section of the REHIS website. All four regional liaison group minutes are attached to the SPCCC minute. They are an excellent starting point to see if a colleague has had a similar concern to yours in another area of the country. You’ll probably not be surprised to hear that similar issues are affecting your colleagues elsewhere in the country: Brownfield briefings, barking dogs and biomass are nationwide issues.

Contaminated Land Update - Scottish Government advised that the Contaminated Land Advisory Group (CLAG) will be reconvened in April to go over the peer review work that has been undertaken.

Air Quality Update - Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations 2015 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/168/contents/made) and the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/310/contents/made). Following a meeting in December 2015 between SEPA, DEFRA, UK Government and the devolved administrations, to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding to clarify remits for the enforcement of the aforementioned Regulations which came into force in March 2015. Under the Regulations the Scottish Government, SEPA, local authorities and port health authorities have enforcement responsibilities but the regulatory remit for each is not clear within the regulations. There has been a lot of activity in England; helpdesk and website. A letter from COSLA/SOLACE to be sent to each local authority on the subject.

A further call was made for information or examples of where wood burning stoves have caused problems

due to lack of developmental control. These are in support of the comments already logged by the SPCCC with Scottish Government (Ian Black) at the meeting in November 2015. (Possible Permitted Development Rights document). Please pass on these examples through your regional liaison representatives.

Consultation on the revised Air Quality Policy (LAQM PG16) and Technical Guidance (LAQM.TG16) is now complete. Scottish Government were awaiting a confirmation date from DEFRA; as these are UK wide documents, both have since been published. The two documents and the details of the consultations can be found at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/communications/laqm_changes. A point to note in Scotland is a new annual report submission date is end June each year. Your local authority may have received formal confirmation of the timescales to be followed direct from SEPA. Regulations to introduce PM2.5 annual objective were to come into force by end March. The new Scottish Objective was introduced under the Air Quality (Scotland Amendment) Regulations 2016.

Clean Air For Scotland (CAFS) has been published however the path to achieving the wide range of aims is still being developed to decide how best to steer the multifunctional cross profession processes. For this purpose a tiered CAFS Governance groups has been established, supported by specialist subgroups, managed by Scottish Government, SEPA and Transport Scotland as rolling chairs. Representatives from Health Protection Scotland (HPS), Scottish Environment Link, Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Regional Transport Partnership, City Authorities, Scottish Government (Planning), Heads of Planning (HOPS), Society of Chief Officers of Transportation (SCOTS) and Society of Chief Officer of Environmental Health (SoCOEH) have also been engaged. The group has already established proposed Key Performance Indicators against which the success of CAFS strategy might be measured.

Noise Update - Linda Story (Scottish Government) has requested that local authorities consider if their complaints databases have the potential to record incidents of noise complaints concerning Air/Heat Source pump noise issues. This may help paint a picture of the numbers of complaints of this type just now and in the future.

by David Duffy, Member of the REHIS Council with responsibility for pollution control matters


30

SOUTHERN CENTRE PRIVATE HOUSING EVENT

Following the success of last year’s event the Southern Centre decided to run another Private Housing and Repair Course. The two-day event was held in Paisley Abbey and allowed delegates to carry out a site visit in Paisley town centre.

The course was presented by Annie Flint and John Gilbert who are joint authors of the “Tenement Handbook” which was first published in 1982. In March 2016 they also launched a reference website on housing repairs in tenement buildings, “Under One Roof”. John is an accredited conservation architect and has considerable experience of repairing tenements. He also specialises in stone built buildings. Annie Flint is a housing consultant, an expert in tenement issues and a member of Glasgow’s Factoring Commission. She also regularly lectures on tenement legislation and the difficulties owners experience in carrying out repairs. Although there are many other housing repair courses available they are not always relevant to Environmental Health Officers who consider public health as much as general repairs and also have more legislative tools at

their disposal. The course content was designed with the input from experienced Environmental Health Officers.

The first day focussed on housing defects and consisted of a site visit. John Gilbert provided an excellent presentation on housing defects, and then delegates were taken to a tenement property where a number of common repair issues could be identified.

The second day looked at the different powers that Environmental Health Officers can use to instruct repairs, and how to write notices. There was also a useful discussion which allowed delegates to highlight problems they have come across and share their experiences. The less experienced officers who attended found this element particularly helpful. The Southern Centre would like to thank Jim Blair and Jane McGahan for facilitating the discussions on Day 2. Feedback from delegates highlighted the enthusiasm and specialist knowledge of Annie and John, and that the practical aspect of the training was well received.

Delegates also provided excellent feedback on possible improvements to content when we repeat the course, and these have been taken on board. It is our intention to run the course again and there may be the opportunity to take it to other venues around Scotland, provided a suitably dilapidated property (or properties) within a short distance from a suitable venue can be found. If anyone is interested in hosting the course please contact me at [email protected] to discuss the possibility.

My thanks to Tom Bell and Cará Weston for administrative support, David Duffy Southern Centre Chairman and Annie Flint for their encouragement and enthusiasm.

Other Matters - Martin McNab (Inverclyde Council; Chair of SHPN Co-ordinating Group) representing the Scottish Health Protection Network (SHPN) gave an overview of the organisation and invited the SPCCC to feed into and form the relevant subgroups.

The REHIS Forum (27 and 28 April 2016) was both well attended and well represented by experts and professionals covering the disciplines of Air Quality, Contaminated Land and Noise the core specialisms dealt with by the SPCCC.

If there is anything specifically you wish to know or discuss; if you’re a local authority employee you should use your local pollution liaison group contacts, if you work with an interested agency or partner contact your representative on the regional group. These representatives can feed the enquiry through the appropriate communication channel. Or as a REHIS member if you feel your concern merits discussion at the SPCCC please feel free to contact me.

by Gwyneth Kerwin, Southern Centre Management Committee

***


31

SEPA NEWS

New bathing water classifications to be displayed at Scotland’s beaches this season

A total of 80% of Scotland’s bathing waters have been confirmed as achieving the new, much stricter, European water quality standards.

The final classifications have now been issued by the EU which show that, as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) predicted and announced last autumn, out of the 84 officially designated bathing waters in Scotland:

• 17 have been classed as ‘excellent’• 38 are rated as ‘good’• 12 have achieved the ‘sufficient’ standard

However due to the much tighter water quality standards in the new European classification system, which uses four years of monitoring data to provide a more consistent picture of water quality, 17 bathing waters have been rated as having a ‘poor’ EU water quality classification.

SEPA warns drivers to steer clear of illegal waste operatorsSEPA is calling on drivers to be aware of their responsibilities and ensure their vehicles are disposed of legally.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the public also have a Duty of Care to ensure they only give their vehicle to an authorised person when it reaches the end of the road.

Failure to use a registered waste carrier and obtain a valid Certificate of Destruction could mean you are held liable if the vehicle is fly-tipped or found at an illegal waste site at a later date.

New waste tyre regulations comes into forceTough new licensing rules, which will help the SEPA to crack down on illegitimate waste tyre operators, came into effect on 30 March 2016.

All operators who store or process waste tyres will now be required to hold a licence following the introduction of the Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2016.

Responsibility for reservoir safety transferred to SEPA

From 1 April 2016 responsibility for the regulation of Scotland’s reservoirs transferred to SEPA.

With the introduction of the Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011, the safety of all existing reservoirs over 25,000m3 capacity will now be regulated by SEPA. The 2011 Act replaces the Reservoir Act 1975 under which individual local authorities were responsible for reservoir safety and brings a number of key changes to the reservoir industry.

Scotland welcomes INTERPOL to Glasgow for week of waste crime actionINTERPOL’s Pollution Crime Working Group (PCWG) met in Glasgow for the first time on Monday 6 June for a three-day conference to share experiences and explore new ways of disrupting global pollution crime.

The PCWG brings together 30 countries from around the world and high on this year’s agenda will be opportunities for the development of information sharing and intervention initiatives targeting the illegal trans-frontier shipment of hazardous wastes and other pollution crime priorities.

Prosecution: Glasgow food manufacturer fined for failing to comply with Packaging Waste regulationsA Glasgow food manufacturer was fined £8,600 at Glasgow Sheriff Court on 7 March for failing to comply with regulations designed to reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on the environment. The company has also paid £28,538 as a Confiscation Order under the Proceeds of Crime Act.


32

Prosecution: Dunfermline company directors given community payback order for illegal waste storageThe owners of a former Fife waste management company were each given a 150 hour Community Payback Order to undertake unpaid work, or activity, at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on 1 June for illegally storing carpets, plasterboard, gypsum and other wastes at their site in the M90 Commerce Park, Lathalmond.

The Order imposed is to be completed within nine months from today.

Clean air for Scotland SEPA is a key partner in the delivery of Clean Air for Scotland – The Road to a Healthier Future, a national strategy that we can all work towards to achieve the best possible air quality for Scotland. Clean air is essential for our health and wellbeing, and helps to protect the environment as a natural asset.

Although there have been improvements, there are still areas of poorer air quality in some towns and cities. The impacts of poor air quality are not distributed

evenly across the population: it is the most vulnerable members of society – the elderly, the very young and those with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions – who bear the largest burden.

Scotland’s Environment Web wins awardScotland’s Environment Web has been named as one of the top five Best of LIFE projects.

In March, Scotland’s Environment Web had been selected as one of the 24 Best LIFE Environment projects out of the 113 projects that were completed in 2015. The awards recognise projects whose results, if widely applied, could have the most positive impact on the environment.

SEPA has worked with key partners on the Scotland’s Environment Web project to create a valuable source of information and data that informs, educates and helps people to understand their environment. The project has been recognised as an example of best practice in sharing open data and partnership working, and changed the way people access and use environmental data.

FOOD AND HEALTH ANNUAL COURSE PRESENTERS’ SEMINAR

On Thursday 12 May 2016, REHIS held an update seminar for registered REHIS Course Presenters in food and health and cooking skills in Stirling. The main theme of the seminar centred around a presentation by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) on the new Eatwell guide and the FSS report ‘The Scottish Diet, it needs to change’.

This seminar had 50 food and health and cooking skills presenters attend. The morning started with Jackie McCabe, Director of Training, giving a brief overview of the REHIS qualifications then Dr Gillian Purdon, Diet and Nutrition Advisor, Nutrition Science and Policy, FSS gave an excellent and informative presentation on the revised Scottish Dietary Goals and the new Eatwell guide. A report from FSS on the changes is detailed within this edition of the journal.

After the presentation, delegates were asked to

discuss in groups how the Eatwell guide had changed from its predecessor the Eatwell plate. Groups also discussed different methods to communicate the new guidelines. Generally the Eatwell guide was viewed positively, and was considered to be more visual than the Eatwell plate. Discussion centred on the main changes from the Eatwell plate, and included topics such as discretionary foods, fibre oils and spreads and sugary drinks. There was much discussion on what

by Jackie McCabe, Director of Training

***


33

resources were available for the new guide, although it was generally considered that at this early stage there is not much available. Most delegates expressed a wish for Eatwell guide mats to enable them to deliver the new guidelines interactively. Other useful resources/training aids mentioned were blank Eatwell guides and interactive tools for white boards.

After the break Dr Jane Bunting, REHIS Training Adviser (Food and Health) together with Susan Kennedy of NHS Forth Valley gave an update on the REHIS Cooking Skills course and Cooking with Groups course. After this session, delegates were then asked to discuss in groups future developments and updates within the REHIS Food and Health suite of qualifications. This proved to generate a healthy

discussion, and plenty of useful ideas.

The Institute is very grateful to the Presenters and the delegates for their active and positive participation in the event.

The REHIS Annual Presenters’ Seminar

for Food Hygiene and Health and Safety Course Presenters

Wednesday 5 October 2016

Glasgow

ELEMENTARY COOKING SKILLSACE CORNTON AND GROW FORTH WORKSHOP

ACE Cornton is a charity providing community-based adult learning in Stirling. They provide learning for people to build their confidence and self-esteem, learn new skills and to reach their potential and improve their quality of life. They focus on breaking down any barriers to learning (for example, ill health, living on a low income, having a disability) and encouraging and supporting people through their learning. In particular, they work with learners from Cornton and other regeneration areas of Stirling, who would not access more formal learning or traditional educational routes.

ACE run many REHIS community training courses, including Elementary Food Hygiene and Cooking Skills. Having taken part in piloting the cooking skills course, ACE Cornton regularly run REHIS Cooking Skills classes, and is now a fully approved centre. Courses are run by volunteers, some of whom have taken part in REHIS courses themselves who have then gone on to do further training and become REHIS registered trainers. ACE incorporate Elementary Cooking Skills into their existing ‘cooking on a budget cooking’ class, which is open to anyone in the community.

During one of my visits to a Cooking Skills course at ACE I had the pleasure of taking part in a Grow Forth Zero Waste workshop, which was being run as an additional element of training for course participants. Grow Forth is part of Forth Environment Link and is the local food network in the Forth Valley area with the aim of connecting and supporting communities and

local food businesses to grow, source, cook and eat local, sustainable food.

The workshop consisted of demonstrations of how to make different types of scones and chutneys and provided participants with lots of useful hints and practical tips for growing, buying, storing and cooking foods. There was also lots of information and resources for participants to take away, such as recipes from the Eat Better Feel Better Campaign and information on reducing food waste and budgeting from NHS Forth Valley. Participants were also given a Grow Forth food waste kit which consisted of useful equipment such as a fridge thermometer, food storage clips and measuring spoons/cups etc. There was also an opportunity to take part in their food waste challenge using the free food waste toolkit which as well as the handy gadgets includes ideas on how to reduce food waste while saving money too.

Partnership working like this is an excellent way to incorporate other learning on topics such as food waste and sustainability into REHIS training thus broadening the training experience for participants. It is also a great way for trainers to tap into additional resources and information to enhance the delivery of REHIS courses.

For more information on reducing food waste etc. or the free cooking/growing or wasting less workshops, visit www.forthenvironmentlink.org.

For more information on ACE Cornton visit www.ace-cornton.org/.

by Dr Jane Bunting, Training Adviser (Food and Health)

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34

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This is my first report as Director of Professional Development, having taken up the post in April. I particularly have to thank Robert Howe for his assistance during the handover period, making sure there was a smooth transition. He has made the introduction to the post much less fraught than it otherwise might have been.

Student TrainingOne of the main tasks of the Director of Professional Development is to ensure that trainees are well-provided for in terms of training with their employers and as part of that, regular visits are made to training authorities to meet with students/trainees and their training advisors. A new round of such visits is currently underway, with priority being given to those due to sit professional interviews at the next two diets.

There are currently 48 Student/Graduate Trainee EHOs registered with the Institute, most of whom have a placement of some sort with one or more local authorities. Unfortunately, there are currently 17 Student/Graduate Trainee EHOs who are not attached to any Council and so are unable to partake in practical training. There is a route available to these individuals, by making arrangements to carry out training on a modular basis, where possible with whichever local authorities are able to offer training on a voluntary (or unpaid) basis. While this is far from ideal, it opens up a route into the profession which previously didn’t exist and it is pleasing to report that there have been a number of success stories with individuals qualifying via this method who are now working in full-time posts as EHOs.

It is very much hoped that more Councils will be persuaded to assist by making some provision for such training in order to allow more students/trainees to experience practical training at first hand.

Where there are unattached Student/Graduate Trainee EHOs, it is our intention to make available an independent advisor to help steer them in the right direction with training opportunities and the submission of their portfolio.

Submission of PortfoliosThe Professional Practice Manual requires trainees to submit a portfolio of training prior to being allowed

to sit the Professional Examination. These inevitably have to be assessed and work is ongoing to recruit a sufficient number of assessors to deal with the volume of work expected. Training sessions are given to assessors in order to provide guidance on what is expected and to ensure consistency as far as possible in the assessments carried out. A new concise guidance note has been produced and sent out to trainees in order to clarify and further define what is required.

Professional Practice ManualThe recommendations from the short-life working group reviewing the Professional Practice Manual have now been implemented and have been submitted to the Examinations and Professional Standards Committee for their approval. The changes generally consist of inclusion of new sections on portfolio submissions and the professional interviews and some revisions to simplify the text and updates on legislative changes.

Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe latest round of submissions for consideration for Chartered EHO has resulted in 185 individuals achieving and/or maintaining the status.

An important reminder to Chartered EHO members who wish to maintain their Chartered status: The CPD scheme requires a written submission of at least 2,000 words in every three-year period. This came into effect in January 2015 and so existing Chartered EHOs have the remainder of this year and next to fulfil this requirement.

Professional CoursesA number of update courses have been organised for the coming season and these will be intimated, when full details are available, through the usual channels.

PhotographsFinally, I would like to make a plea to help the Institute build up a stock of appropriate high resolution photographs of environmental health situations which may be shared, possibly for publication. Full credit will, of course, be given to the photographer and organisation, if requested.

by John Sleith, Director of Professional Development


35

THE ROYAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTHINSTITUTE OF SCOTLAND

The Institute was incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee on 16th February 1983, to give effect to the amalgamation of The Royal Sanitary Association of Scotland and The Scottish Institute of Environmental Health. The Institute was Incorporated by Royal Charter on 8th March 2001, following which the Company was wound up.

The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland is a registered Scottish Charity, Number SC009406.

The objects for which the Institute is established, contained in Article 3 of the Charter, are for the benefit of the community to promote the advancement of Environmental Health by:

a. stimulating general interest in and disseminating knowledge concerning Environmental Health;

b. promoting education and training in matters relating to Environmental Health; and

c. maintaining, by examination or otherwise, high standards of professional practice and conduct on the part of Environmental Health Officers in Scotland.

The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland is an independent and self-financing organisation. It neither seeks nor receives grant aid. The Institute’s charitable activities are funded significantly by the subscriptions received from its members.

The Institute’s affairs are managed by a Council which is elected by members. The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland is a founding member of the International Federation of Environmental Health.

The Institute frequently uses the acronym: REHIS®.

REHIS and the Crest device are registered trademarks of The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland.

Developing and Maintaining a Positive Food Safety CultureThe importance of food safety culture and its effect on the implementation of food safety practices is increasingly recognised. However, there is a lack of information on the theoretical underpinning and practical application of food safety culture. This book seeks to redress these deficiencies.

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A Question of Licensing for Scotland (for servers and sellers of alcohol)An excellent resource for personal licence holders and trainers, A Question of Licensing for Scotland provides 2 hours of licensing training for staff who sell or serve alcohol (as required by Scottish law).

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Food Safety Culture PresentationThis presentation is ideal for those delivering a Level 3 Food Safety Culture course. This presentation includes an introduction to the concept of food safety culture, components and composition of a food safety culture, and developing and promoting a positive food safety culture.

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vol 28 - number 2 summer 2016 - rehis · the future of the profession and the local authority ......

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