Food poisoning and infectious diseases

Your GP Doctor or hospital will inform the Food Safety Team if you have food poisoning such as salmonella or an infectious disease such as typhoid.

It is very important to ensure that food handlers and healthcare workers do not pass on the infection whilst they are at work so we always investigate cases where such workers are involved. We also always investigate if a pre school aged child is infected.

If an outbreak involving more than one person is discovered we follow our outbreak plan and try to find out which foods and businesses were involved. We are looking to prevent the infection spreading and put in measures to stop outbreaks happening in the future. This  investigation can lead to food being seized and a business being closed down or taken to court.

Members of the public can also contact us directly if they think they have been infected although we can not investigate fully unless their doctor has confirmed the food poisoning.

We work closely with other boroughs in South West London together with the Health Protection Unit at Springfield University Hospital.