Ross, K, Dyjack, D, Choonara, A, Davis, G, Dawson, H, Hannelly, T, Lynch, Z, Mitchell, G, Ploompuu, I, Rodrigues, M and Shaw, L (2024) International Environmental Health Skills, Knowledge, and Qualifications: Enhancing Professional Practice Through Agreements Between Countries. Journal of Environmental Health, 87 (2). pp. 21-25. ISSN 0022-0892

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Abstract

Environmental health is practiced primarily at the local level; however, many of the skills held by environmental health practitioners (EHPs) are transferable globally. There is currently a shortage of EHPs in many parts of the world and formally recognizing the transferability of skills and knowledge within the profession might encourage people to consider environmental health as a profession, helping to address the shortage. To facilitate this transferability, our global community of practice has mapped the environmental health practice requirements of the U.S., UK, and Australia to enable comparison of each one to the others and demonstrate the level of similarity in practice requirements. Our ultimate goal is to facilitate memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between the various professional bodies that oversee environmental health practice, which would allow qualif ied EHPs to practice in any of these countries. This flexibility would benefit the profession, professional practice, and individuals. MOUs are a way to recognize the similarities and di†erences between practices in these countries and provide pathways to address di†erences when they exist, such as via short courses and work experience. We present data to illustrate our argument that there is much overlap in the practice of EHPs. We see our research as a first step to engage with professional bodies in other countries and to facilitate MOUs between many countries, both to raise the profile of environmental health globally and to provide an attractive pathway for people to consider environmental health as a profession.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	cross-country recognition; environmental health practice; United Kingdom; United States; Australia; 0502 Environmental Science and Management; 1117 Public Health and Health Services; 1605 Policy and Administration; Environmental & Occupational Health
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Divisions:	Nursing & Allied Health Public Health Institute
Publisher:	National Environmental Health Association
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	23 Aug 2024 07:57
Last Modified:	23 Aug 2024 08:00
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/24010

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