REHIS News

Five delegates from the Association of Public Health Inspectors of Cyprus will fly in for this week's Conference in Glasgow. The party is visiting as part of the link formed between the two organisations last year.

The REHIS Introduction to Health and Safety course is a non examined pre-employment health and safety awareness course intended primarily for persons joining the workforce for the first time. The syllabus aims to raise awareness of key health and safety issues.

This year's Conference, which is taking place in Glasgow for the first time on 22-24 November, will have free places for members to attend for the final day (Friday). The Annual General Meeting of the Institute will be held in the afternoon.

Bookings are also being accepted for the remainder of the days, which include a civic reception from the City of Glasgow.

For further information, see Events

(Photo - City Chambers, Glasgow)

ELEMENTARY FOOD HYGIENE COURSE PRESENTER'S PACK This attachment updates acetate number 9 in the overhead pack and the PowerPoint presentation.

Health Minister Andy Kerr has pledged £2.5 million towards a campaign on handwashing Mr Kerr said: "Hands can carry a range of bugs, including healthcare associated infections like MRSA, illness such as food poisoning and viruses like flu. Washing hands regularly and thoroughly will dramatically reduce the spread of these bugs. The announcement was made as part of this year's Infection Control Awareness Week. As well as NHS professionals, the minister gave a reminder that the public has a key role to play in helping reduce the spread of infection.

In the newly-published annual report from the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Dr Harry Burns highlights research that shows that environmental incivilities, such as litter, grafitti and dog fouling have a negative impact on human well-being, particulaly in lower socio-economic groups. The effect leads to greater stress than is felt in less deprived areas. The report raises 'intriguing possibilites' of meeting the challenge of improving health and well-being.

A Scotland in which lung cancer is virtually wiped out is a real possibility in years to come if the reduction in deaths speeds up as expected, Chief Medical Officer Harry Burns (pictured) said in his first annual report.

In a wide-ranging summary of the nation's health, Dr Burns concludes that the overall picture is optimistic.
For the full report click here

Voluntary best practice guidance from the Food Standards Agency for caterers and retailers.

foodlink is organised by the Food and Drink Federation in association with the Food Standards Agency, the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS), the Departments of Health, Food and Education, the National Farmers Union, the British Retail Consortium and the British Hospitality Association. foodlink

The President of REHIS, John Stirling, has written to the Health Minister Andy Kerr (pictured), asking him to take action on the licensing of sunbed parlours. Measures were outlined in a propososed private Members' Bill due to be put to the Scottish Parliament by Ken Macintosh, MSP. However, it now appears that there will be insufficient time for the Bill to proceed before the election in May 2007.