Infectious Diseases

Environmental Health investigates notifications of infectious diseases (particularly food poisoning) from GPs, the public, businesses and other local authorities.

By law doctors are required to notify the local health authority of anyone who is, or is suspected of, suffering from food poisoning and details are passed to an Environmental Health Officer at the council for investigation, which is treated as confidential.

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

• whether anybody else they ate with also experienced any symptoms

The reasons for investigation are to:

• attempt to find out what may have caused the illness

• prevent any further illness occurring if possible

• find out whether any local business premises are implicated and inspect where necessary

• give the person or the person's carer more information

In addition the Consultant Microbiologist at the hospital notifies our Consultant in Communicable Disease Control of any Eastbourne resident in hospital who is suffering from gastroenteritis which may be food related. This information is also passed to us.

Food Poisoning Outbreaks

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 samples if appropriate

• 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.

If you suspect you may be suffering from food poisoning go and see your GP who may arrange for a faecal sample to be taken. Alternatively we can arrange this and send it off for analysis.

Further Advice

We have extensive guidance for food businesses on food hygiene. See our Food Safety and Healthy Catering section, linked under Related Pages, for more details.

There are a number of websites where you can get further information and advice about food poisoning. The following are all linked under Other Websites.

• FoodLink - advice about common causes of food poisoning.

• Food Standards Agency - advice about how to spot symptoms and what to do