A new agreement between professional bodies in the UK and Australia aims to ease recruitment difficulties in environmental health by creating cross-country career pathways.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and Environmental Health Australia (EHA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that enables Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to practice in Australia and vice versa.
The two organisations stated that the agreement results from years of collaboration to align professional competencies.
Long-standing vacancies raise concern about public health services
Both countries face ongoing challenges filling EHO roles, with many vacancies remaining unfilled for extended periods.
The shortage of qualified EHOs has prompted concern over the capacity to maintain effective public health protection across the UK and Australia.
The agreement is expected to help relieve workforce pressures by broadening employment opportunities and encouraging more candidates to enter the profession.
Professional bodies highlight international mobility and qualifications
CIEH President Mark Elliott said: “The signing of the MoU with our counterparts in Australia marks a significant and exciting milestone in the history of the environmental health profession in our countries.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland and Australia share ongoing challenges in terms of recruitment and the future of the profession is under threat without action such as this being taken.
“We hope this agreement will open up doors and remove barriers for EHOs, should they wish to relocate, to utilise their wide armoury of skills and knowledge for the benefit of communities in our countries and help boost under pressure environmental health workforces.”
EHA President Melissa Burn said: “This MoU acknowledges the global nature of environmental health.
“It enhances the environmental health qualification, making it a more attractive option given the widened accessibility of opportunities.”
Academic institutions see wider opportunities for environmental health students
Liverpool John Moores University’s Environmental Health Programme Leader Graeme Mitchell said: “For those of us who have spent our career in environmental health and are passionate about the profession this agreement is an exciting development, which will undoubtedly help to make studying environmental health an even more attractive proposition with the increased possibilities and options this MoU represents.”
Professor Kirstin Ross of Flinders University in South Australia added: “This agreement provides a clear pathway for environmental health professionals to follow to allow them to practice in a different country, and excitingly, provides a blueprint for other countries to undertake similar MoU’s.”
The UK and Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address recruitment in environmental health.
The agreement allows Environmental Health Officers to practise across both countries.
The CIEH and EHA said the MoU followed years of alignment work.
Both organisations hope it will improve staffing and professional mobility.
Mark Elliott of CIEH said the MoU removes relocation barriers for EHOs.
Melissa Burn of EHA said the MoU increases the value of the environmental health qualification.
Graeme Mitchell of Liverpool John Moores University welcomed the international opportunities for students.
Professor Kirstin Ross of Flinders University said the agreement may serve as a model for other countries.