Public Health

Syringes

Needles, syringes and other drug related items are being increasingly discarded in the environment. There are a number of potential hazards associated with handling these items and if discovered you should contact the Council to have them safely removed and disposed of. The Council has a duty to remove syringes which are found on public land and highways, but not for those which are found on private land. It can, however, offer advice to the owner of the land or put pressure on him/them to deal with the matter if any risk is posed to the public at large.

In all circumstances, where needles are seen or found we recommend that it is reported to us. We strongly also recommend that the public do not pick up needles themselves, unless they pose an immediate danger to them or other residents and in which case great care should be taken in their removal and storage. Ideally, you should contact us and we will safely dispose of them

Please note that any needles, or syringes, etc. found on educational premises (e.g. schools, nurseries, etc) during working hours should be reported immediately and directly to the premises directly where staff on site are trained to deal with such items.

If syringes and/or needles are found on the public highway or public land please contact the Customer Contact Team on 01258 454111.

Infectious Disease

The Food and Safety team work with the Dorset Health Protection Agency (HPA) in responding to reports of infectious disease which may be reported direct by the public, or notified by the above agency or other sources including local GPs.  Where we receive notifications direct then we will contact the HPA as appropriate.

In general terms this team usually leads the investigation of food borne disease for example Salmonella poisoning from food purchased locally.  However, we support and assist in the investigation of many other communicable diseases and work together on providing information and guidance to the public and business.

Health protection guidance can be found on the  Health Protection Agency website:

Information on Avian Flu

Food Poisoning

If you are suffering with symptoms such as sickness and diarrhoea you may have contracted a type of food poisoning. If this is the case it is important that you observe good standards of hygiene, so as to prevent its spread, and visit your GP. Your GP will need to send off a faecal specimen for a confirmed diagnosis.

Once a food poisoning notification is received, we will contact the person with the symptoms and ask them questions regarding:

• What and where they've eaten prior to their illness;
• Details of their symptoms;
• Whether they've been on holiday abroad;
• Whether or not their GP has taken a faecal sample and;
• Whether anybody else they ate with also experienced any symptoms. We may request that person to provide a faecal sample.
• Type of employment for example to find out if someone works as a food handler in a commercial kitchen or helps out in a children’s nursery.

If a number of people ate at the same venue and have the same food poisoning-type symptoms, this may be due to a Food Poisoning Outbreak. Our investigation into the outbreak will involve:

• interviewing people who are ill
• interviewing others who ate at the venue but didn't have symptoms,
• taking faecal and food samples (if appropriate) and
• inspecting the implicated venue.

If there is enough evidence implicating a food premises within the area as a possible source of the outbreak, we may decide to carry out a food hygiene inspection

Relevant Legislation:

• Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984
• Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988

Vaccinations

Information on vaccination and immunisation can be found on the Health Protection Agency website:

Rabies

Rabies is an acute viral infection that is nearly always fatal. Transmission is usually through saliva via the bite of an infected animal, with dogs being the main transmitter of rabies to humans.

Guidance on rabies can be found on the Health Protection Agency website:

CoolingTower Notification

All premises where cooling towers and evaporative condensers are situated must register with the local authority under The Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992.

The prime purpose of this is to identify potential areas that cou ld give rise to spread of infectious disease e.g. legionella and to ensure preventative measures are taken to eliminate the risk of such infection arising to employees and the public.

• Cooling Tower Notification Form
• Cooling Tower Register

Further information can be obtained by contacting this service.