| Exercise Winter Willow - lessons learned document published
The report states that the issues that were raised requiring action at a national level fell broadly in to the following areas: Crisis management and co-ordination - ‘Channels of communication during a pandemic are complex and there is a need to improve the linkages between established local and regional resilience structures and their equivalents in the National Health Service and to review the process of the collection and collation of daily reports in to the centre, together with clarity of the consistent use of data in describing the evolution of the pandemic’, - ‘Many aspects of the response to an influenza pandemic fall within the competence of the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Exercise highlighted several policy areas where there might necessarily be a difference in approach between administrations.’ - The exercise ‘demonstrated the need for continuing close liaison between the UK and the Republic of Ireland on pandemic influenza response planning.’ - ‘There is a need to strengthen and codify central government links with international bodies, e.g. the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).’ Public advice and communication - ‘During a pandemic, a robust and co-ordinated communication approach will be necessary, particularly between the national and regional levels. - ‘Post–exercise feedback indicated that many people thought that public messages needed to be refined and that communications from central government departments and agencies needed to be better co-ordinated to ensure clarity and consistency.’ - The exercise ‘highlighted the need for better engagement with the public and communities and particularly community responsibility for vulnerable people. There was a need for clearer advice to the public on the use of antiviral drugs, facemasks and other measures and on the stocking of home supplies.’ Further policy development - A number of areas where policy issues need clarification or further development were identified, including: • Travel advice Business continuity The exercise ‘made clear that the challenge of maintaining business continuity at local, regional and national levels during a pandemic is recognised by all organisations. However, there was a clear need for organisations to better define their linkages to others and to ensure that their business continuity plans meshed with those of their partner organisations. Issues identified included the need for good recovery plans to handle the backlog of work and further work with both voluntary and private sectors to clarify linkages and the areas of assistance that they might be able to provide.’
•Date: 31st Aug 2007• Region: UK •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
|
