CIEH reissues calls for enhanced role of Environmental Health Professionals as new post-Brexit border checks take effect

On the day new border checks are due to take effect (31 January 2024) we stress the crucial role of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) in maintaining food safety.

This call to action addresses the pressing need for EHOs in the current environment of workforce challenges in the veterinary sector, particularly following the UK’s departure from the European Union.

The introduction of new border checks has underscored the importance of stringent food safety measures at UK entry points. Historically, EHOs were key in conducting comprehensive food inspections, including post-mortem examinations. However, regulatory changes in the 1990s, aligned with EU import/export protocols, significantly limited their role, confining EHOs to checks primarily on fish products.

Given the current shortage of veterinarians for these critical inspections, CIEH advocates for the re-expansion of environmental health responsibilities to include a broader spectrum of food safety checks. This proposal not only aims to ease the current workforce strain but also to uphold the UK's high standards of food safety.

Louise Hosking, Executive Director of Environmental Health at CIEH said:

“Environmental Health is uniquely positioned to mitigate some of the challenges that will be posed by our new post-Brexit regulatory framework for import controls.

Environmental Health Officers possess the requisite expertise, experience, and training to perform these essential inspections. By broadening their role in food safety checks at our borders, we can address current challenges pragmatically while steadfastly protecting public health.”

We at CIEH are dedicated to collaborating with government bodies and key stakeholders to facilitate this transition, including supporting the training and certification of EHOs. This effort is a critical part of CIEH's ongoing strategy to ensure the environmental health profession continues to evolve and effectively meet the UK's public health needs.”