View report page

7
FOOD HYGIENE
I referred in my annual report last year to the problem of certain foreign nationals, employed
in the food trade, who speak and understand little English and the difficulty experienced in
conveying to them the meaning of food hygiene.
It seems to me to be wrong to allow persons to come to this country from those where the
national standards of general and personal hygiene are known to be low and engage in food
handling without any training or prior checking to see that they understand our basic hygiene
requirements. Many small cafes and restaurants employ persons who have been. brought up in
countries where rats and flies are accepted as part of the normal every day scene. It is often
very difficult to get these persons to appreciate the serious view taken by the public health
authorities in this country of the potential danger of these pests and their relationship to uncovered
dustbins, etc. This problem does not, of course, affect the large food factories where proper
standards of hygiene and supervision are practised.
Once again it is my pleasure to thank the Council and the Chairman and members of the
Public Health Committee for their interest and support in the work of the department. In the
complexities of modern life it is often impossible for a Health Department to achieve its objective
without the assistance of others and in this respect I would like to record my indebtedness to my
Chief Officer colleagues and their staffs; medical colleagues in hospitals and general practice;
Dr. B. E. A. Sharpe, Divisional Medical Officer, London County Council, and her staff; and,
lastly, the various voluntary and other local organisations with which the department collaborates
from time to time.
Finally, I offer my sincere thanks to the staff of the Health Department for their loyalty
at all times.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
August, 1963.
Medical Officer of Health.