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  • Last modified date:
    2 December 2008

Additional funding for pandemic influenza preparedness

Published: 12 November 2008

The Department has identified additional non-recurrent funding totalling £15m from within central budgets for 2008/09 for pandemic influenza preparedness. Margaret Edwards' and Lindsey Davies' letter of 13th November refers.

Pandemic flu: UK international preparedness strategy

Published: 22 October 2008

This strategy is the first of its kind, demonstrating a cross-government approach to improving international preparedness over the coming three to five years. It presents the UK Government's aims, objectives and actions for playing its part to improve global pandemic preparedness

Mental health workshop: preparing for pandemic influenza

Published: 24 September 2008

The Department of Health hosted the Mental health workshop: Preparing for pandemic influenza, on Wednesday 24 September 2008 at the Church House Conference Centre in London.  The purpose of the event was to focus on implementation of pandemic influenza preparedness within mental health trusts, linking to the requirement in the NHS operating framework for all NHS trusts to have robust pandemic plans by December 2008.  The workshop also provided an opportunity to to share and discuss ideas and to highlight challenges faced within their services. 

New final guidance

Published: 4 September 2008

Pandemic influenza: Guidance on the delivery of and contract arrangements for primary care dentistry
This guidance provides specific advice to the NHS on the delivery and contract arrangements for primary care dentistry in the event of a pandemic.

Pandemic influenza: Guidance for Dental Practices
This guidance provides a brief overview of pandemic flu, how it is transmitted and the recommendations for containing its transmission with reference to a dental setting.

New draft guidance for comment

Published: 4 September 2008

Pandemic influenza: Surge capacity and prioritisation in health services
This document is designed to give guidance on managing the surge capacity needed to respond to an increased volume of patients during an influenza pandemic.

Pandemic flu - one of the highest risks facing the UK

Published: 13 August 2008

As announced in the National Security Strategy, the Government has published a National Risk Register. It assesses the likelihood and potential impact of a range of different risks and rates a flu pandemic as one of the highest risks to the UK.

Lords report refers to pandemic preparedness

Published: 13 August 2008

The Lords Select Committee’s report 'Diseases Know No Frontiers: How effective are Intergovernmental Organisations in controlling their spread?' was published on 21 July. It includes recommendations to improve international coordination of pandemic preparedness.

New draft guidance for comment

Published: 06 August 2008

Draft pandemic influenza guidance on preparing maternity services in England and planning for vulnerable groups is now available for comment:

New final guidance

Published: 06 August 2008

Pandemic influenza guidance on human resources guidance for the NHS and the management of death certification and cremation certification is now available.

Pandemic influenza - guidance on preparing mental health services in England

Published: 2 July 2008

This document is designed to assist mental health trusts and other specialist mental health service providers in developing their plans for responding to an influenza epidemic. This document details a national approach, setting out the key planning assumptions and principles, roles and responsibilities that should inform the development of local plans.

NHS National Workshop on Pandemic Flu

Published: 23 June 2008

The Department of Health hosted the NHS National Workshop on Pandemic Flu, on Monday 23rd June at the Church House Conference Centre in London. The purpose of the event was to focus on implementation of pandemic influenza preparedness linking to the requirement in the NHS operating framework for all NHS trusts to have robust pandemic plans by December 2008. The workshop also provided an opportunity to discuss progress and to share and learn from best practices and experience. The presentations from the day are available.

Papers and minutes published of first meeting of Scientific Pandemic Influenza Advisory Committee (SPI)

Published 28 May 2008

In 2007 the existing Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza was enhanced to include a wider range of disciplines and an independent chair. The new committee, the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Advisory Committee (SPI), held its first meeting on 4 April 2008. The papers and minutes of this meeting are now available

Possible amendments to medicines and associated legislation during an influenza pandemic

Published: 21 May 2008

This consultation suggested ways to maintain people's access to regular essential medicines in this period and looked at the amendments which are required to support the operational framework.

Pandemic influenza: guidance on the management of death certification and cremation certification

Published: 19 May 2008

This document proposes changes to the procedures for death and cremation certification that could be used in a severe influenza pandemic in order to enable doctors to spend as much time as possible on the care of the living and to ensure that processes for death and cremation certification can be managed as effectively as possible during a pandemic.

Pandemic flu planning. Agreement on GP remuneration: guidance note for Primary Care Trusts

Published: 8 May 2008

Ministers have endorsed an agreement reached between NHS Employers and the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC) on the maintenance of GMS practice income where GP practices are involved in responding to a pandemic influenza.

Pandemic influenza: guidance for infection control in critical care

Published: 15 April 2008

This guidance has been developed as an adjunct to the document ‘Pandemic influenza: Guidance for infection control in hospitals and primary care settings’. It provides information to assist critical care units to plan and conduct their pandemic response.

NHS National Workshop

The NHS National Workshop on Pandemic Flu was held on 26 November 2007.

Additional funding for pandemic influenza preparedness

Published: 17 October 2007

Advises of the new governance arrangements and progress with the national pandemic planning programme and the additional funds being made available

Exercise Winter Willow - lessons learned

Published: 30 August 2007

Feedback from all levels has indicated that the exercise was helpful in checking and validating plans and communication channels. Action is already underway to ensure that lessons identified are used to review and revise plans and procedures.

NHS national workshop on pandemic flu (March 2007)

Following the success of the NHS National Workshop on Pandemic Influenza held in June 2006, the Department of Health hosted another event on 5 March 2007.

‘Coughs and Sneezes Spread Diseases’

Published:  26 February 2007

The Coughs and Sneezes campaign aims to raise awareness of the need for good respiratory hygiene and to encourage the public to follow correct coughing and sneezing etiquette. It forms part of our pre-pandemic influenza preparedness planning and is the latest initiative to reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses. This poster was produced as part of the campaign and was sent to a variety of settings including; GP surgeries and health centres, hospital pharmacies, health promotion units, NHS walk in centres, police stations, libraries and commercial pharmacies.

'Wet, Soap, Wash, Rinse, Dry'

Published: 19 December 2007

This is the first in a range of general hygiene communications, which forms an important part of our pre-pandemic influenza preparedness planning. The enclosed poster is being sent to a variety of NHS workplaces including: GP surgeries, health centres, pharmacies, health promotion units, health protection units, A& E departments and NHS walk in centres.

Bird flu (avian influenza): public health advice for those going to or returning from bird flu-affected areas

Published: February 2006

This leaflet and accompanying poster provides public health advice for those going to or returning from Bird flu-affected areas. It contaings information on this potentially serious disease and the precautions you should take to help protect yourself.

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