Towards achieving the vision
Environmental Health 2012 has been highly influential both in positioning environmental health practice within the public health and well-being arenas, and also in supporting the development and adoption of the necessary competences to take advantage of the education, training, professional development and career opportunities that are emerging through the government’s public health agenda.
National Occupational Standards (NOS) for public health
Skills for Health is the Sector Skills Council for Health and one of its main functions has been to develop National Occupational Standards (NOS) and National Workforce Competences (NWC) for use within the health sector.
The CIEH has ensured that the Skills Framework for Public Health Practice properly includes the relevant competences of environmental health practice.
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UK Voluntary Register for Public Health Specialists
The CIEH has been influential in the development of the UK Voluntary Register for Public Health Specialists. The register is for public health specialists from any professional background who may work in the NHS, local government, further or higher education, voluntary organisations or private companies. It provides public protection by ensuring that only competent public health professionals are registered and that high standards of practice are maintained.
Some examples of backgrounds include environmental health, public health sciences, social science, medicine, nursing, health promotion, pharmacy, psychology and dentistry. Whatever their professional background, and wherever they may work, all such specialists have a common core of knowledge, skills and experience, and work (or have the ability and potential to work) at a strategic or senior management level.
The website provides details of admission procedures, portfolio assessment, the routes to registration, and further information on the Joint Board and its Committees.
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Curriculum 2003
Following the publication of Environmental Health 2012, the CIEH conducted a radical overhaul of the core curriculum for accredited university degree courses. The new curriculum broadens the focus of environmental health education and training, and equips environmental health practitioners with the knowledge and skills to enable them to play a full role within the new public health agenda and health partnerships.
The new Curriculum 2003 is a key driver for delivering Environmental Health 2012. It has been designed to:
- Position the environmental health profession at the heart of today’s public health agenda.
- Create an environmental health profession that can be flexibly deployed in the public, private and non-profit sectors and make its full contribution to joined-up public health management.
- Make environmental health a fully flexible career that opens doors to an unrivalled range of opportunities.
- Give practitioners a broader range of transferable skills and experience.
- Provide greater opportunities for work-based training placements in the private and non-profit sectors.
