FOOD poisoning outbreaks affecting more than 80 people including children were kept secret by environmental health officials.

Vale of White Horse District Council decided not to tell the public about a series of outbreaks during 1997. They included:

Ten children and three staff at a children's nursery catching salmonella, probably caused by a contaminated food slicing machine

Thirty-nine wedding reception guests falling ill, with 25 proving positive for salmonella thought to have been caused by egg sandwiches

14 guests falling ill at one of two affected funeral wakes - both of which had food provided by the same unnamed local company

Ten pupils and one member of staff falling ill at a residential school after the suspected outbreak of a viral infection

Six patients and a cook falling ill at a "hospital-type" premises - again, thought to have been caused by a viral infection.

Officials admit the number of outbreaks was unusually high - but the public was not told because council officers were satisfied they had traced the likely source.

Robert Akers, head of the Vale's food and safety department, said: "In each case, action was taken to eliminate any risk and, therefore, there was no continuing problem.

"So, in each of these cases, we took the appropriate action to remove the risk."

Following the e-coli outbreak in Lanarkshire last year, the Department of Health has changed its Code of Practice No 16 policy. It now requires local authorities to carry out a risk assessment as the immediate priority - meaning a decision whether to inform the general public must be made straight away.

Oxfordshire Health Authority believes the council did the right thing by keeping details of last summer's outbreaks away from the public.

Dick Mayon-White, OHA's consultant in public health, said unlike the Scottish e-coli outbreak, the Vale's problems were almost certainly caused by nationally-distributed poultry and eggs.

He added: "Where it makes a lot of sense to tell local people is when a locally produced food or a particular shop or particular outlet is causing, or suspected to be causing, food poisoning."

He also pointed out that many of the problems in the Vale were confined to private functions.

He believes the Vale has a difficult decision to make between ensuring the public's safety and the possibility of falsely pointing the finger at a certain business, which subsequently loses trade.

The Government has nevertheless stressed in its Code revision that the public's health must be of over-riding importance.

The Vale's environmental services committee has agreed to adopt the Department of Health's change of Code - although a final decision will be made at a meeting of the full council.

Mr Akers said: "Our prime objective is to protect the public's health. The Code puts the protection of the public at the top of the list."

In Oxfordshire as a whole, there were 550 recorded cases of food poisoning during 1997, compared to 461 in 1996, according to health authority figures.

Robert Akers, Head of Food and Safety with the Vale of White Horse District Council, said all those affected by food poisoning would have been notified of the extent of the scare.

He said: "In the case of outbreaks, we have to prepare a very comprehensive questionnaire which goes into the food history of the individuals.

"What we are looking for is common foods that have been eaten, then by process of elimination, we can hit upon the food that is affected."

In a report to the Vale's environmental services committee, Mr Akers said he was not aware of any civil legal proceedings being pursued by anyone affected in the outbreaks.

Have you been affected by these food poisoning outbreaks? We want to hear your story. Call Stephen Deal on 01235 522388

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