The Section is an accredited training centre with The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland and provides low cost food hygiene training courses to the local food business
community.
Food Safety in Schools is Top of the Class
West Dunbartonshire Council has shown that it takes food safety in its schools very seriously, by putting school catering staff through an intensive training course.
The Council’s Environmental Health Section has been providing training to school catering staff since December 2009 to allow them to obtain the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland’s (REHIS) Intermediate Food Hygiene Qualification. 42 members of staff passed the course and were presented with their certificates on 11th June 2010.
Officers from Environmental Health also carried out inspections of the school kitchens in which the successful candidates work. As a result of the new qualifications gained by staff and the excellent standard of hygiene within the kitchens, 28 primary schools, 5 secondary schools and 11 nurseries were given the prestigious “Eat Safe” Award.
The “Eat Safe” scheme was rolled out across Scotland in January 2005 by the Food Standards Agency. It aims to improve public confidence and consumer choice in catering establishments across the country. Since the scheme was launched, Environmental Health has awarded the Eat Safe Award to more than 40 food businesses within West Dunbartonshire.
Section Head for Environmental Health, John Stevenson said: “The REHIS qualification is a tough course which aims to give managers and supervisors a better understanding of the importance of Food Safety – the qualification is above what is generally required within catering and is tough for candidates to achieve.
“All of the catering staff took the training and exam head on, and an excellent number of passes were gained. This was also testimony to the quality of training provided by staff from the Environmental Health Section, who were delivering this course for the first time.”
The Council’s spokesperson for Environmental Services and Economic Development, Councillor Jim McElhill, added: “These recent achievements reflect the dedication of the catering staff within WDC school kitchens. They have worked exceptionally hard on what is a very challenging course and they continue to attain high standards of food safety and hygiene management in the kitchens where they work. We are pleased that this is now recognised with the attainment of so many Eat Safe Awards for our schools.”
See the catering staff showing off their Intermediate Food Hygiene Certificates
See the catering staff showing off their "Eat Safe" Awards
Food Safety Enforcement Policy
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View West Dunbartonshire Council's Food Safety Enforcement Policy. (Please note this policy document does not include the various appendices which are operational documents in themselves).
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View West Dunbartonshire Council's Food Service Plan (2009/10 Revision).
Further Information
If you would like further information on this topic, please visit the appropriate website listed below or call 01389-738627 or 01389-738652 for further advice.
