Our role

Environmental Health Officers investigate food poisoning cases for a number of reasons:

1. To establish the type of food poisoning you are suffering from (this will usually be undertaken by the doctors, who will provide you with a faecal specimen kit to identify the type of food poisoning)
2. To establish the food that caused the illness
3. To investigate commercial premises if implicated in your illness
4. To prevent further spread by providing advice on general hygiene precautions in the home and information on exclusion for people who work with food, young children or the elderly.

What to do if you think you have food poisoning?

For general medical advice or diagnosis of illness and treatment you should always see your doctor. If you suspect that the cause of your illness is from food you purchased in Runnymede or you live in the Runnymede area then you should also contact this department.

What will happen?

If you contact us we usually ask if you would give a faecal sample, if the doctor didn't take one, so that we can get it analysed to try to identify the cause of the illness, as viruses have very similar symptoms to food poisoning.

A visit to the premises concerned is usually made, if in Runnymede, or we pass on the information to the relevant Local Authority.

If you work in a high-risk occupation you have a duty to inform your employer of your symptoms, i.e.

• Food handler
• Child minder
• Health care work
• Dealing with the elderly
• Contact with highly susceptible patients or persons

Runnymede Residents

If you have visited your doctor and they diagnose Food Poisoning they should notify our department and we will then contact you. Depending on the type of food poisoning we make contact you by making a visit to your home, telephoning you, or writing a letter. We will be asking questions to try and identify possible causes. So if you get a questionnaire it is important to return it, as is to keep your details up to date with the doctors.

Report Food Poisoning