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In July, Alehm agreed new arrangements with the London Fire Brigade to better support the Science and Technical Advice Cells (STAC) that are activated during major incidents. 

Introduction

The London STAC Arrangements (version 1.0) was published in January 2009. The arrangements identify a specific role for Local Authority environmental health managers. In order to ensure a trained Environmental Health Manager (EHM) is available to represent local authorities at the STAC, discussions have taken place at the Local Authorities Panel (LAP) and the Local Authorities Implementation Group (LAP-IG). The Science and Technical Advice Cell paper (attached) detailing the process of delivery, was endorsed by LAP-IG on the 8th April 2009.

Capacity building

To achieve this capability, each borough will need to identify two appropriately nominated EHM to be included on a STAC availability list. Please note that this is not an ‘on call’ role. Details of nominated EHMs will be held by the Boroughs and if an EHM is required to attend a STAC, an available EHM will be identified in consultation with the boroughs.

The two Environmental Health Managers nominated by the boroughs are invited to attend a familiarisation event. It will be necessary for the EHMs to attend this event prior to being included on the STAC availability list.

Role

The level of knowledge and experience required from the EHM attending the Cell are outlined in the arrangements, as follows:

Due to the wide remit of environmental health teams in the early stages of an incident the best advice may come from an EHM with broad experience of environmental health issues.

Environmental Health Practitioners / Officers can:

• Represent the local authority;
• Investigate infectious disease outbreaks working to HPA Consultants in Health Protection and involvement with some animal disease e.g. Rabies;
• Inform the STAC on local arrangements;
• The EHO/ EHP would have knowledge of local meteorology (from awareness of pollution), food premises (including food factories), other commercial premises, historical contaminated land issues and knowledge of waste or other sites;
• Some EHO/ EHP’s will also be designated officers of the Food Standards Agency under the Food and Environmental Protection Act;
• Act as a channel to the local authority to obtain information and assistance on environmental health as the STAC required;
• Provide input into the advice provided by the STAC to the public, community leaders (such as Councillors) and members of the responding workforce;
• Liaise with the Government Decontamination Service, (local authorities would normally lead on decontamination on the advice of the GDS);

An EHO/ EHP tasked with attendance at a STAC would have investigative skills, experience of communication with a wide audience, project management skills and familiarity with risk assessment in a variety of settings.

Training day

0930-1300hrs 7th September 2009 at LFB Training Centre, Southwark.  

1. The event is designed to ensure attendees have a thorough understanding of:
2. The Scientific and Technical Advice Cell Arrangements.
3. Roles and responsibilities of a Local Authority Environmental Health Manager within the Cell.
4. Activation arrangements for an Environmental Health Manager to the STAC.
5. London Local Authority Gold Arrangements and how the STAC arrangements work in conjunction with these.

The event will include speakers from the HPA and Richard Drew from Westminster Council will discuss his experience with the response to the Litvinenko incident. 

Once two suitable candidates have been identified please can you forward their details including email addresses to Sabera Bhimani. The closing date for registration is the 24th August 2009.

Further information

If you have any queries, please contact Nell Teasdale.