Environmental Health

Food testingOur service

We aim to provide a customer focused Environmental Health Service which responds to the needs of our customers in a fair, equitable and consistent manner within our legal framework and resources.

Services we provide

Prevention or control of:

  • food poisoning, food and water borne illness
  • sale of unfit food
  • ill health caused by air pollution
  • ill health due to contaminated water supplies
  • noise pollution
  • public health nuisance
  • unsafe and unhealthy working conditions
  • unsatisfactory environmental health conditions using licensing and registration
  • harm due to contaminated land

This is done by a combination of enforcement and advice. When enforcement is necessary we aim to do this in a manner which is open, helpful, consistent and appropriate to the risk involved.

Simple Steps to Less Saturated Fat

As you may have seen on the television, the Food Standards Agency is launching a major campaign to encourage UK consumers to take positive steps in reducing saturated fat intake.

Evidence shows that in the UK we are eating 20% more saturated fat than is recommended, which could lead to a build up of fatty deposits in the arteries that supply the heart. This can put you at greater risk of heart disease and heart attacks, which reduce the quality of life for those living with the illness and, in worst cases, are fatal.

The campaign aims to reduce our saturated fat intake by encouraging us all to make little practical changes to the way we shop, cook and eat, such as simply eating chicken without the skin, grating cheese instead of slicing so you eat less of it, and using sunflower or olive oil instead of butter when cooking. The campaign will also remind people to compare labels and choose the option that is lower in saturated fat as another simple way to reduce the amount of saturated fat in their diet.

For more information and simple tips on how to reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat visit eatwell.gov.uk.

Caterers can look at the FSA's healthy catering advice page to see how food businesses can provide healthier food for their customers.

This campaign supports the Department of Health's 'Change for Life' programme.

Healthy Start VouchersHealthy start logo

With Healthy Start you can get free vouchers every week which you then swap for fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, milk and infant formula milk. Women and children on the scheme are also entitled to free vitamins.

Pregnant or have children under 4?

You could qualify if you are on benefits or pregnant and under 18.

For further information on Healthy Start Vouchers, how to apply and where you can use them please visit http://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

Scores on the Doors Rating System

On 11 June 2007 all six district councils in Cumbria joined a major web-based information campaign to promote food safety.

The six authorities are uploading information about their food hygiene inspections  from 1 January 2007 onto a national Scores on the Doors website aimed at promoting good practice within the food industry. View more information about the Scores on the Doors rating system.

All information to be published is in line with requirements made under the Freedom of Information Act, which came into force on 1 January 2005.

Listeria - Safe Storage of Sliced Cooked Meats

A 2007 survey by environmental health units and the Health Protection Agency in the north west found a small percentage of freshly sliced cooked meats to be contaminated with low levels of listeria monocytogenes on their day of purchase.

A leaflet providing straightforward information on the safe storage of sliced cooked meats and the press release issued by Health Protection Agency North West can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. The principal advice is to consume cooked sliced meats within 2 days of purchase. To view more guidance on listeria for retailers and consumers please see the downloadable documents section of the Food Hygiene Information Leaflets page of this website.

Customer Feedback

To improve the quality of our service regular customer surveys are carried out in a confidential manner.  Please see the Customer Feedback page for details.

Guide to environmental health services in audio format

Listen to the audio guide to environmental health services (Windows Media Audio format).


Downloadable Documents

All documents open in a new window.

File name

Size

Download time

Adobe PDF format - download the viewerGrounds Maintenance Safety in PDF format783 Kb3 mins 44 secs @ 28.8k, 1 min 52 secs @ 56k
Microsoft Word formatGrounds Maintenance Safety in Word format13398 Kb63 mins 48 secs @ 28.8k, 31 mins 54 secs @ 56k
Adobe PDF format - download the viewerA Guide to Environmental Health Services in PDF format61160 Kb291 mins 14 secs @ 28.8k, 145 mins 37 secs @ 56k
Adobe PDF format - download the viewerOur Service to You Leaflet 2009/10 in PDF format111187 Kb529 mins 28 secs @ 28.8k, 264 mins 44 secs @ 56k
Microsoft Word formatEnvironment Health Unit Service Plan 2009/12 in Word format349184 Kb1662 mins 47 secs @ 28.8k, 831 mins 23 secs @ 56k
Adobe PDF format - download the viewerListeria - Safe Storage of Sliced Cooked Meats in PDF format76 Kb22 secs @ 28.8k, 11 secs @ 56k
Microsoft Word formatPress Release on Listeria, HPA North West 2008 in Word format54 Kb15 secs @ 28.8k, 8 secs @ 56k
Adobe PDF format - download the viewerCorporate Enforcement Policy in PDF format35 Kb10 secs @ 28.8k, 5 secs @ 56k

Get Adobe Acrobat ReaderDownload Acrobat PDF Reader (external website). Acrobat PDF Reader allows you to view PDF files.

Get Microsoft Word ViewerDownload Microsoft Word Viewer (external website). Microsoft Word Viewer allows you to view Word documents even if you don't have Word installed on your computer.

last updated 02 November 2009