The future for Environmental Health

Subject: CIEH

Environmental health practitioners from across the UK met at Stratford upon Avon for the third annual CIEH/Lacors Environmental Health: The Year Ahead conference on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 April.

Day one covered the key priorities facing the profession, both from a political and a practical perspective. While Graham Russell, LBRO Chief Executive and Richard Block from Westminster City Council  together with Alan Lacey from Sainsbury discussed the primary authority scheme.

On day two John Tilley from the Department of Health outlined the strategy and engagement with local authorities on tobacco and the smokefree agenda.

Kevin Myers from the HSE discussed how HSE, CIEH, LACORS and councils can work together to target health and safety and the key priorities they were working to over the coming uear.

Ed Mitchell discussed the role of the Environment Agency, CIEH, LACORS and councils in helping to protect the public from poor air quality, contaminated land and flood risk.

Tim Smith, Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency and Martin Williams, Head of Air and Environment Quality Division at DEFRA similarly shared their plans and views on the national priorities facing environmental health for 2009/10.

Speaking from Stratford upon Avon, CIEH Chief Executive, Graham Jukes said:

 “This has been a tremendous two days packed with information and networking on the priority agendas for environmental health delivery over the coming 12 months.

“The presentations will be available on the Lacors and CIEH websites and those authorities who were not represented missed a golden opportunity to engage directly with their peers and the policy makers.

“The event will be even bigger next year as we combine the trading standards and environmental health agendas together with TSI, CIEH, LACORS and LBRO making it the event not to be missed for 2010.”