Related organisations
The CIEH works closely with a large number of stakeholders. In addition there are several organisations with which the CIEH has a special relationship:
Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB)
The EHRB’s activities are closely associated with many aspects of the work of the CIEH Education team. Board members are mainly CIEH Trustees, drawn from the Education & Professional Standards Board, although nominations to the Board may be made by the Secretary of State for Health (up to two persons), government departments or agencies with an interest in environmental health (one person). Other persons with an appropriate interest in environmental health may also be appointed by the Board to serve.
The EHRB’s main activities are:
- Issuing a Certificate of Registration to people who have successfully completed an approved professional qualification programme in environmental health that includes an accredited academic course of study, work-based experiential learning and professional examinations
- Maintaining a register of people who have been issued with such certificates
- Accrediting courses of study, run by universities and colleges, in specific technical areas of environmental health such as food safety, health and safety enforcement etc.
- Conducting practice-related assessments of technical support staff who are undertaking accredited courses of study
The purpose of accrediting training courses leading to an EHRB technical qualification is to:
- Ensure courses operate and maintain high standards in teaching and course delivery
- Provide candidates with sound knowledge and skills in aspects of environmental health
Courses currently accredited by EHRB include Higher and Ordinary Certificates in Food Premises Inspection, the Diploma in Health and Safety at Work Enforcement and the Diploma in Environmental Protection.
International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH)
The IFEH was initiated in 1982 and inaugurated at the CIEH Annual Congress in 1985. It aims to link organisations of environmental health professionals around the world and seeks to provide a means of exchanging information and experience.
It holds regular meetings to:
- Discuss environmental health science and administration
- Represent the interests of environmental health to state agencies, national governments and international organisations
- Promote field studies of environmental health control
The IFEH has no individual members. Each constituent body appoints members to its governing body, the Federal Council. The Council elects a member to act as Chairman and a Federation President.
In addition to full members, the IFEH has Associate and Academic Associate members – bodies that share an interest in environmental health. Many of the organisations in full membership are in countries where administrative and legal systems are similar to those in the UK and United States, where environmental health services are organised on holistic and generic principles.
The members work together to disseminate knowledge and promote co-operation between countries where environmental health issues are similar. The IFEH promotes the interchange of people working in this sector and exchanges publications of a scientific and technical nature produced by its members.
Environmental Health Officers Welfare Fund
The Fund’s aim is to raise money for the benefit of past, present and future members of the CIEH and their families during times of particular need.
CIEH members are encouraged to donate money to the Fund, which is a charity. Some of the CIEH trustees are involved in its management.
For more information, contact Andrew Gardner at a.gardner@cieh.org or call 020 7827 5803.
