CIEH to broaden membership

Subject: CIEH

Non-EHPs working in environmental health and holding senior posts in science, health and environment-related fields will be able to apply for full voting membership of the CIEH, following a historic decision made by the CIEH Council last week.

Those affected would include directors of public health, public health specialists with the Health Protection Agency and primary care trusts, Health and Safety Executive inspectors and professors and senior lecturers in environmental and public health.

CIEH Director of Education and Professional Standards Paul Robinson said:

“The kind of individual that this would apply to would hold a relevant degree and professional qualification, they would be working at a senior level in some aspect of environmental health and have at least five years post-qualification experience.”

Suggested recipients, he said would include directors of public health, public health specialists with the Health Protection Agency and primary care trusts, Health and Safety Executive inspectors and professors and senior lecturers in environmental and public health.

Under the proposals, which were unanimously accepted by trustees, applications would be by submitted portfolio and interview, and be considered by a panel of Chartered members - probably by existing APD assessors. If accepted, the individual would be awarded Voting membership. Access to Chartered status will remain available only to qualified EHPs.

Mr Robinson explained:

“This change more accurately reflects the fact we are the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, not of environmental health practitioners and enables us to be more inclusive of the wider community that delivers environmental health.”

The proposals, he said, followed work carried out the membership task group. They had the unanimous backing of the membership committee, the education board and the resource committee. The fine detail will be defined in regulations, which should be before Council for agreement in September which should enable the new route to Voting membership to be available from 1st January 2009.

CIEH Chief Executive Graham Jukes said the Council vote reflected the growing acknowledgement of the importance of environmental health and its skill-set across a range of policy areas.

He commented:

“Welcoming individuals who are skilled, senior practitioners in their field into voting membership will serve to ensure that the profession remains relevant and up to date.  I am sure that members at all levels will be delighted by this timely development, as I am.”