As the SNP’s Spokesperson for both Health and Social Care and the Environment, I recently attended a special parliamentary event to mark a very significant milestone – the 150th anniversary of the Public Health Act.
Joining with cross party colleagues and representatives of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, we reflected on the legacy of the Public Health Act and the continued importance of environmental health in addressing today’s public health challenges.
Colleagues from the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland were also in attendance to discuss their new manifesto for Scotland, looking at the need for locally based Environmental Health Services as well as the training and development of new officers in this field.
150 years of transforming the health of our citizens through education, training and qualifications across issues such as air quality, housing, food safety, noise pollution and workforce capacity has saved countless lives, improved living conditions and kept us healthier and safer in many ways that we now take for granted.
As the REHIS’ new manifesto for Scotland shows, we cannot rest on our laurels and must address existing and future challenges such as workforce shortages in qualified Environmental Health Officers. Scotland has its own unique set of issues in this area and this Institute’s focus on protecting and improving lives is integral to the wellbeing and health of our nation.
Photo shows (l to r) Seamus Logan MP with Lynn Crothers, Past President, and Anne McNeil, President, Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland.
