Eastbourne improve food safety for the elderly
FOOD CHAMPION APPLICATION: Improving local food safety and food standards.
John Demetriou outlines a project undertaken by Eastbourne council which aimed to tackle the growing problem of Listeria food poisoning in the elderly as part of national food safety week 2009
The theme of this year’s Food safety week from 15-21st June 2009 was targetting over 60s concerning the risk of listeria food poisoning with advice regarding the correct storage and handling of food in the home. This is a response to the sharp rise of listeriosis in the over 60s since 2000 with the rate doubling since 2001 and resulting in more deths than salmonella and E-coli combined.
Eastbourne has a high number of elderly people with 30% of its population over 60, higher than the national average of 22%. In the past the Food Safety team has, in collaborationn with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), undertaken pilot studies in Eastbourne’s many elderly care homes to guage the effectiveness of the national Safer Food Better Business food safety mangement pack therefore it seemed fitting not to miss out on this opportunity
This project aids adult health and wellbeing in Eastbourne as part of the local area agreement by fulfilling national indicators NI 137 (healthy life expectancy at 65) and NI 139 (helping people over 65 live independently at home) and helps fulfill the Council’s corporate targets to promote interdepartmental working as well as working with the voluntary sector to achieve these aims
Aims and Objectives
The main aims of the project were to focus on the threat from listeria and concentrate on what ‘older people’ living on their own could do to reduce the risk by:
- Keeping fridges at the correct temperature.
- Following the storage instructions on the label.
- Use food by its Use-By date (as well as explaining the difference between ‘Best Before’ and ‘Use By’ dates).
- General tips on good food hygiene concentrating on the 4Cs (Cleaning, adequate Cooking, adequate Cooling, preventing Cross Contamination)
- Help fulfil national Indicators NI 137 (healthy life expectancy at 65) & NI 139 (helping people over 65 live independently at home) to aid adult health & well being in Eastbourne as part of local area agreement.
The aim was to present the above information in a targeted fashion to reach as many people as possible through trusted/existing groups so as to be most effective; to do it in a simple, fun and interesting manner and to make the exercise practical/hands on so as to be memorable and give the recipients something to remind/help them carry the advice on into their every day lives.
Partners
The following cooperated in the project:
- Age Concern
- Eastbourne Homes Limited (an ‘arms length’ Council housing management organisation), especially their sheltered housing sector
- Food Standards Agency both in England and N Ireland
- Local Places of worship (about 30)
- Eastbourne Association of Voluntary Services (EAVS)
- Student EHO
- Local PCT
- EBC admin staff
Methodology
The project was delivered by:
Preparatory Steps
- Gaining the support of key helpers i.e. Manager’s, Age Concern, Eastbourne Homes and a student EHO to provide invaluable practical support. This was the first time collaboratory work between EBC and E. Homes and Age Concern took place and was achieved though the EHO making personal contact
- Researching subject of listeriosis from various sources (HPA, FSA, microbiological sources/studies) and develop effective means of communication to ensure information accurate, up to date and relevant.
- Costing project and working within budget.
- Regular meetings with key partners to advance project and share responsibilities.
- Contacting FSA to order leaflets, posters, thermometers etc.
- Arranging with Eastbourne Homes to finance purchasing of easy to read fridge thermometers for their residents and their distribution via their social engagement officer
- Preparing leaflets, articles for E. Councillors, local newspaper and magazines, including E. Homes quarterly magazine, and information for our website.
- Preparation of public display stands in Eastbourne Council’s foyer and Age Concern’s lounge using EBC’s printing department
- Listing local places of worship and preparing explanatory letter and appropriate leaflets to them for distribution amongst their older peoples’ meetings.
- Contacting N Ireland FSA to provide Food Hygiene Bingo game resources for use at Age Concern and at one of the larger local church’s weekly drop-in meetings for senior citizens.
Execution
- Eastbourne Homes distributed about 460 easily-read fridge thermometers for their elderly residents in sheltered accommodation via their social engagement officer
- Explanatory letters with leaflets sent to 30 local places of worship for distribution amongst their meetings for older people.
- Distribution of E Homes magazine with information re listeria to all their residents.
- Distribution of other articles on listeria sent to other sections of local community via local newspaper and other community magazines circulated electronically and/or in community centres such as GP surgeries
- Local councillors informed via councillor with environmental health portfolio and online Council Members’ newsletter
- 600 EBC listeria leaflets distributed
- Playing food hygiene bingo (courtesy of N. Ireland FSA) at Age Concern twice and at one of the larger local church’s weekly drop-in meetings for senior citizens by EHO & student EHO. Interactive, gave participants opportunity to ask many food hygiene questions and EHOs to correct wrong ideas. Well received
- Display stands in Eastbourne Council’s foyer and Age Concern’s lounge during duration of Food safety Week along with leaflets to take away
As well as displays, letters, leaflets and articles it was important to be personally involved delivering presentations etc and being available to answer questions and interacting with the elderly to make the outreach more effective as this type of audience needs/appreciates that personal input even more than other groups
Promotion
The project was publicised through targeted letters to local places of worship, articles in local newspapers and magazines, display stands in public places and information and resources on the Council’s website. It was also brought to the attention of local councillors through an article in the member’s newsletter and at cabinet where the Food safety Service Plan was presented showing how it linked to corporate targets
Resources
The following resources were required:
- Time: Approximately 24 hrs of officer’s time, 10 hrs of student’s time and 10hrs of Eastbourne Homes Older Persons Social Engagement Officer’s time
- People: EHO, student EHO, Eastbourne Homes support officer to interact with the targeted audience because of their frailty and difficulty comprehending the subject.
- Leaflets & Posters: Some received from FSA and others specially prepared for display stands and distribution
- Funding: from our Env Health department (£100) and Eastbourne Homes (£300) to purchase 450 thermometers and print bespoke colour A5 leaflet/posters aimed at Eastbourne’s elderly residents.
- Equipment; display posters & equipment, food hygiene bingo game resources from N. Ireland FSA and thermometers to give out.
Little else needed because depended on person to person interaction or person addressing group
Evaluation
Its success was measured as followed:
- 75 FSA Listeria leaflets distributed.
- 600 EBC Listeria leaflets distributed.
- 65 people who played bingo bug game at Age Concern & a local Church & received food hygiene leaflets to take home.
- 50 ‘Good life’ booklets distributed.
- 590 thermometers given out to Eastbourne Homes Sheltered Housing tenants & @ Bingo.
- Eastbourne Homes quarterly magazine with article on listeria distributed to thousands of their residents.
- Letters of thanks received from Eastbourne Homes residents and those attending events at Age Concern.
- Enthusiastically received at interactive events such as Food Hygiene Bingo at Age Concern and local church. Stimulated a lot of questions/discussion around food hygiene themes. So successful invited back to take another ‘Bingo’ session at Age Concern for a fresh number of visitors.
- The Eastbourne Homes Older Persons Social Engagement Officer who cooperated in giving out the fridge thermometers and runs coffee mornings at the sheltered homes received positive feedback from the residents about what they were given especially the fridge thermometers. He was told friends/visitors to residents’ flats noted the thermometers and were prompted to get one for their own fridge. When he visits their sheltered flats he notices the thermometers hanging inside the fridge
- The Bingo bug game and better quality free thermometers given out to E Home’s residents were most successful part of campaign because of personal interaction and provided simple practical messages attendees could understand/remember
- Plan to have follow up questionnaire 6 months after event of sample number of E homes sheltered housing residents to gauge what knowledge has been retained courtesy of E Homes’ Social Engagement Officer
Lessons Learned
Due to early planning, sharing workloads and designating time to the project, few problems were encountered and it is suggested that the project achieved good value for money in terms of the number of people informed with the limited resources available The following issues were encountered:
- Altering times of Bingo game at church or Age Concern to suit when the largest number of people were present in order to have most effect.
- Missing press release date and getting smaller article than expected printed when it eventually did appear later in the week; this is out of our immediate control as it needs to be agreed by the press officer and any press releases are published at the discretion of the local media.
- FSA free thermometers less effective than bought ones because difficult to read and less accurate • More thought to how best evaluate project
Future Developments
Good links have been forged with Age Concern and Eastbourne Homes which makes it easier to do future food hygiene outreach events together. Already both have asked for us to help out on future food safety events e.g. future articles for Eastbourne Homes magazine (one planned for Christmas) and we are participating in a Health & Safety event at Age Concern in October where we again will have a stand with relevant food safety information for people to read and take home.
Contact Details
Contact Name: John Demetriou MCIEH
Job Title: Environmental Health Officer
Phone: 01323 415365
Email: john.demetriou@eastbourne.gov.uk
Organisation: Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC)
Address: Health, 1 Grove Rd, Eastbourne, Eastbourne, BN21 4TW
Other Resources:
This case study and Food Champion application was added 4/11/09