Supporting colleagues during a period of change Tony

Supporting colleagues during a period of change Tony Lewis Principal Education Officer, CIEH

This seminar will…………. . • Explore key drivers for change within regulatory services and the potential impact of these drivers on EHPs and the wider profession • Examine the issue of ‘competence’ and the need for education and professional development systems for members to be fit for purpose • Give you an opportunity to raise questions and discuss the implications of the emerging landscape for the future of environmental health

‘May you live in interesting times’

The Chinese Curse • Often attributed (mistakenly) to Confucius • The first of three curses of increasing severity, the other two being: “May you come to the attention of those in authority” “May you find what you are looking for”

‘Interesting times’ • The international financial position • The public-sector finances • Better regulation • Local government re-organisation • General election

Coming to the attention of those in authority • Prof Sir Hugh Pennington • Sarah Anderson • The Labour Government – LBRO • The Conservative Party - Sir David Arculus and Ken Clarke

Those in authority want……. . • EHPs to be: - Competent - Proportionate - Aware of risk - Experts/specialists - Professional - Fit for purpose - Capable of doing more for less!

What are we looking for? • Continued relevance • Influential • Respected • To be needed • Still here - protecting public health and providing good careers for the next generation!

How we might find what we’re looking for • In practice and as a profession: - Embrace change and the opportunities it presents - Be flexible - Be prepared to sacrifice ‘tradition’ “Tradition is an explanation for acting without thinking” Grace Mc. Garvie, American Political Scientist

So what is CIEH doing? • Changing the culture of 300+ disparate local authorities is impossible for us • BUT……. we have an ability to: - Influence those in authority - Support colleagues in a time of change - Influence thinking of the next generation of EHPs

Influencing those in authority

Influencing • Worked with HSE and partners on the development of the RDNA toolkit • Working with FSA, DEFRA, CLG, TSI and others on the competence frameworks for food safety, housing, port health etc • Working with LBRO on competence, leadership and ‘world class regulation’ • Liaised with BERR and Sarah Anderson on her review of the support and guidance given to business by regulators

Influencing (2) • Gave evidence to Pennington and supported others in doing so • Smoke freedom • Significant changes, through lobbying, to the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act, especially provisions relating to exclusions from necessity to consult with the primary authority • Olympics (2012) – working with London 2012 Food Advisory group and LOCOG • Sunbeds – working with a range of NGOs across the UK to address this key PH issue • Contributing to key definitions of water poverty to the “Walker Review” [of charging for household water and sewerage services]

Supporting colleagues in a time of change

Building competence The Professional Development Stairway to Competence Lewis and Brennan [2006] Excellence ? Competence Capability ‘Capability’ to ‘competence’ achieved via experience, peer review + reflective practice Competencies Skills Knowledge The journey to ‘capable’ as an EHP is via the qualification process

Competence – why? • A formal process that ensures that practitioners are matched appropriately to tasks • Process started in central government • Cascaded into government agencies and departments • Became an issue for EH following the HSE’s (2005) SITNA report • Now a facet of ‘world class’ regulation • Featured in the Anderson Review and Pennington

Where are we now • Framework for H&S (RDNA) complete and launched in January 09 • Framework for health protection complete and launched (by ‘Skills for Health’ as National Occupational Standards) • Framework for PH complete and launched (Cube) • Frameworks developed and about to be piloted in food safety and housing • Framework for port health and contaminated land are under development • Discussions under way with BRC to develop a framework for commerciallybased EH • Too many frameworks? - LBRO and partners (incl. CIEH) are working on a combined framework for local government regulatory services – supported by LACo. RS

RDNA

RDNA

RDNA

RDNA

RDNA

RDNA

Why bother? • Encourage career-long learning • Maintain and develop skills in a changing environment • Maintain the disciplines of learning and continuous professional development developed during training • Encourage and support more effective development action planning • Encourage and support reflective learning

Why bother? • More structured, consistent and robust approach to identifying development needs at individual and line manager level • Support to Managers to help meet some of these locally • Support to individuals in developing themselves • Provides a shield against challenge to our decisions that is far more robust than a qualification certificate and experience • Once a standard is ‘out there’ and endorsed by a body of some standing it will become ‘compulsory’ by virtue of legal reference

CIEH will deliver. . . . • Consultancy services to local authorities to: - Train managers to appraise staff under RDNA - Train managers to advise staff on addressing development needs - To quality assure the RDNA processes - To provide complete competence support to local authorities and others • Direct support to members (in partnership with Universities and others) to acquire, maintain and develop competencies

Influence thinking of the next generation of EHPs

Curriculum 2007 • Launched in 2007 and until 2009 seen as an extremely radical change to the way that we produce EHPs • EHPs qualifying via this route will not be of the traditional ‘one-size fits all’ style • Students, Universities and employers are having to make choices

Curriculum 2007 - rollout • It has already started at two Universities, the remainder will roll-out over the next 12 months or so • First specialist programmes to operate from 09/10 academic year • The first graduate is likely to emerge in 2010/11

Curriculum 2007 - why? • Multi-factorial - Recognition of contemporary economic, political and practice-led landscapes - Competence frameworks and the need for practitioners to meet them - Can’t pack anymore into BSc (Hons) EH - The placement desert and the need to create new placement options

Curriculum 2007 Food Safety Public Health commercial EHness Environmental Protection Underpinning Skills& Knowledge Health Protection Policy and strategy Housing Health and Safety

Radical? • Yes – in 2007! • But in 2009? - Recession - Anderson Review - Government’s response to Sarah Anderson - Pennington

Current EHRB Certificate of Registration

New EHRB Certificate of Registration

Take Note! “Has been registered as an Environmental Health Practitioner with specialisms in Food Safety and Environmental Protection having also achieved generalist level in Health & Safety and Public Health”

Implications for employers • Employers must: - Refrain from assuming that ‘one size fits all’ - Assess the competence of all new applicants for work - Match the competence of applicants to the available posts - Provide support to staff to maintain and enhance their competence - Manage staff such they and their organisation is not exposed to unnecessary risk

Curriculum Strengths • The curriculum is fully modularised and is, therefore, extremely flexible • Dovetails with the current competence agenda and the views expressed by Sarah Anderson and is supportive of Pennington • Allows CIEH to accredit a much wider range of courses than hitherto • Provides the foundation for CIEH to further expand its overseas accreditation network and to bring overseas EHPs into membership • Mixes GP and specialisms - an ‘each-way’ bet that demonstrates flexibility

Weaknesses • Has been seen as being too radical by some Universities • Requires wide-ranging support for specialists who wish/need to change their specialism – difficult for LG (? ); a new paradigm for Universities and challenging for CIEH • Demand has the potential to lead to an uneven distribution of new graduates • Requires a considerable investment by CIEH in the production of high quality marketing materials • Mixes GP and specialisms - an ‘each-way’ bet that demonstrates a lack of clarity

Opportunities • To finally shake off the view that EH is a local government profession • Potentially enables EH and CIEH to become a much broader church and to welcome into membership persons who meet competence frameworks - equivalence ! • Expand CIEH influence and membership overseas • Mutual recognition agreements with other professional bodies within the EH community and beyond • To formally tie together the educational and professional continua, with each supporting the other

Threats • The credit crunch, the state of public finances and local government re-organisation • Events overtake us – LBRO’s direction, the election etc • Failure of employers to take their responsibilities seriously for staff development • Failure of employers to provide placements • HE funding and student fees • Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

Curriculum 2007 - the international dimension • CIEH has, to date, accredited two BSc programs in Malaysia and an MSc in Hong Kong: - MAHSA University College, Kuala Lumpur - • Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kuala Lumpur Hong Kong University More to follow: - Discussions ongoing with Universiti Putra Malaysia - Discussions ongoing with institutions in Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Botswana etc • Malaysian and Hong Kong graduates will have the opportunity to submit ELP and take CIEH Professional Exams • EHRB Certificates of Registration endorsed for Malaysia and Hong Kong etc

International Curriculum • Developed by Tony Lewis, Maurice Brennan and Prof. Steve Konkel on behalf of the International Faculty Forum of IFEH • Hopefully adopted by IFEH by September 2010 • Designed as a means of pass-porting core EHP knowledge, skills and competencies around the world • Easy the process of EHPs moving from one country to another

In summary • We are undoubtedly experiencing interesting times • We have come to the attention of those in authority and, right now, they expect us to change and deliver change • The changes to come will be profound • We have to survive and prosper and that will require flexibility and an ability to throw off the past • We are seeking to influence the agents of change • But, at the same time, we are planning for and beginning to deliver the change that those in authority expect to see

Questions