Outbreak Management in the UK: Professionals, Organisations - PDF

Outbreak management, a multi-disciplinary approach – who is who and who does what? Dr Carol Chatt Consultant Epidemiologist, Guest lecturer By the end of this session you will be able to: Understand the broad range of professionals involved in infectious disease...

Outbreak management, a multi-disciplinary approach – who is who and who does what? Dr Carol Chatt Consultant Epidemiologist, Guest lecturer By the end of this session you will be able to: Understand the broad range of professionals involved in infectious disease control and outbreak management and their roles Understand the organisations involved in outbreak management and investigation and their roles in the UK Understand how the organisations interact in the context of an outbreak control meeting What is an outbreak control team? May be a formal meeting of all partners to address the control, investigation and management of an outbreak or a discussion between 2 or more stakeholders following the identification of case(s) or exposure of concern. The purpose of the OCT is to agree and coordinate the activities involved in the management, investigation and control of the outbreak. It will: Assess the risk to the public’s health Ensure that the cause, vehicle and source of the outbreak are investigated and control measures implemented as soon as possible Seek legal advice when required Membership Varies according to nature and circumstance of the outbreak and the incident level Usual members UKHSA – Consultant in Health Protection, Consultant Epidemiologist, Comms, Admin Local Authorities – Director of Public Health (DPH) or nominated deputy, Environmental Health Officer (EHO) NHS Microbiologist Setting? Members should be sufficiently senior to make decisions Key Organisations involved in Outbreak Response UKHSA Executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care Established April 2021 Responsible for protecting every member of every community from the impact of infectious diseases, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents Health Protection Teams Consultants in Health Protection (aka CCDC, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control) Health Protection Practitioners Emergency planners Admin Comms Respond to notifications of individual cases of infectious disease Investigate and control outbreaks Key Professionals involved in outbreak response: Professional Role Consultant in Declare an outbreak Health Convene the OCT Protection (aka Chair the OCT CCDC, Agree who will lead the media response Consultant in Arrange identification and follow up of contacts Communicable Ensure accurate documentation Disease Control) Ensure debrief occurs Consultant Provide epidemiological advice and support analysis and interpretation of Epidemiologist data Descriptive epidemiology or analytical study Coordinate cross-boundary or national investigations Consultant Present relevant microbiological information to the OCT Microbiologist Provide guidance on microbiological aspects of investigation and control Arrange testing and further investigations e.g. typing, WGS Provide results to the source of the request Professional Role Communications lead Liaise with incident lead to establish an incident spokesperson Coordinate media handling with partners Ensure appropriate advice is made available to the public Monitor press coverage of the outbreak Administrator Take accurate and detailed minutes of meetings including a record of actions Timely circulation of minutes Organise dates for meetings Professional Role Director of Public Health Responsible for the LA contribution to HP Ensure (with NHSE and CCGs) that appropriate resources available Environmental Health Officer Investigate potential sources of outbreak and secure improvements where the LA is the enforcing authority Advice the OCT where enforcement falls to another body e.g. HSE Arrange collection of samples from cases and contacts and undertake appropriate sampling of food, water and environmental samples Undertake enforcement action A couple of questions…. Which professional is responsible for each of the following roles Consultant of health Consultant epidemiologist protection Consultant in health protection Chair the Describe the Organise a outbreak control outbreak in terms of dedicated team meeting time, place and epidemiology cell if person needed Consultant Microbiologist microbiologist Administrator Provide the results of tests to the Take accurate Provide the results person who minutes during of microbiological requested the test meetings tests to the OCT Environmental health Environmental Health Consultant in health professor Deliver food samples officer for the protection Coordinate the Arrange from an implicated production of an identification, seizure, restaurant to the outbreak report removal and safe appropriate disposal of laboratory contaminated food In pairs, consider the following situations. A) Who would you invite to be part of the Outbreak Control Team? B) Which organisation are they from? 1. A large outbreak of COVID-19 on a farm in Herefordshire? 2. Reports of gastrointestinal illness in diners at a local Everyone + FSA takeaway 3. An outbreak of C diff on a hospital ward 1. A large outbreak of COVID-19 on a farm in Herefordshire UKHSA - Consultant in Health Protection, HP practitioner, Consultant Epidemiologist, Epidemiological scientist, Comms, Emergency Planning, Admin, Consultant in Public Health Infection (microbiologist), legal advisor Herefordshire LA – DPH, EHO, NHS – consultant microbiologist, Infection Control lead Police Health and Safety Executive - 2. Reports of gastrointestinal illness in diners at a local takeaway UKHSA - Consultant in Health Protection, HP practitioner, Consultant Epidemiologist, Comms, Admin, CPHI (micro), Food Water Environmental (FWE) outposted scientist Walsall LA – EHO, DPH/deputy 3. An outbreak of C diff on a hospital ward NHS – Consultant microbiologist, Infection Prevention Control nurse, Senior nurse for the ward, comms UKHSA – Consultant in Health Protection, Consultant Epidemiologist 4. A cluster of cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in Birmingham UKHSA – Consultant in Health Protection, HPP, Consultant Epidemiologist, admin, comms, outposted FWE scientist LA – EHO, HP lead Health and Safety Executive NHS - microbiologist  Further information UKHSA (2023) Communicable disease outbreak management: operation al guidance - GOV.UK Communicable disease outbreak management: appendice s Any Questions?