Pandemic Flu Advice for Ambulance Services issued by Department of Health

Source: Department of Health

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Date of publication: January 2010

Publication Type: Practice Guidelines

In a nutshell: Sets out concise summary guidance for infection control for the ambulance services and it is intended for use during the pandemic. The guidance is equally applicable to lay responders, who should adopt the same infection control and hygiene measures.

This guidance document includes sections on patient management, infection control precautions, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and environmental infection control, as well as occupational health.

Length of publication: 25 Pages

Some impotant notes: Action cards for ambulance staff can also be downloaded from this website.

Impact of pandemic influenza on UK paediatric intensive care demand

Source: Archives of Disease in Childhood

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Date of publication: December 2009

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Each winter seasonal respiratory virus infections account for large variations in unplanned admission to UK paediatric intensive care units.  The authors concluded that contingency measures for children needing paediatric intensive care are needed to absorb the likely increase in activity expected due to pandemic influenza.

Length of publication: 3 pages 

Acknowledgements: BBC News

Swine flu: guidance for planners

Source: Department of Health

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Date of publication: October 2009

Publication type: Best Practice

In a nutshell: The Department of Health and the Cabinet Office have today published new guidance to support pandemic planners based on the latest science and understanding of the swine flu virus.  The latest evidence indicates that the pandemic may peak at a lower rate than originally thought, but does not suggest that their should be any change to the response in terms of ensuring the NHS and social care organisations are as prepared and resilient as possible for the winter months.  

Length of publication: 4 pages

Pandemic influenza: additional measures to meet workforce supply

Source: Department of Health 

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Date of publication: October 2009

Publication type: Best practice

In a nutshell: This document has been prepared to complement existing guidance provided by the Department of Health and NHS Employers in relation to pandemic influenza planning.  It answers the frequently asked questions and, wherever possible, directs readers to more substantive guidance already in existence.

Length of publication: 9 pages

Swine flu clinical package

Source: Department of Health

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Date of publication: October 2009

Publication type: Best Practice

In a nutshell: The swine flu clinical package is a set of tools for use by frontline healthcare professionals, in severe and exceptional circumstances, during a pandemic situation. The tools in the package are designed to support and empower GPs, community nurses, midwives, health visitors, ambulance crews, emergency department doctors, nurses and those working outside their usual specialty area (e.g. junior doctors or surgeons working in influenza cohort wards). The package will assist these health care professionals to assess patients, authorise antiviral medicines, refer those with severe illness or complications, and guide timely management of patients in hospital.

Length of publication: 15 pages

Some important notes: These tools and pathways are for use only when high surge demand leads to the need for strict hospital admission triage in affected areas. They should not be used when emergency departments and acute admissions units are working with their usual establishment of trained staff, and can operate their usual daily decision pathways, including providing hospital beds for every person fulfilling normal criteria for admission.

The tools are not intended for the assessment of patients routinely presenting for the diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated influenza at an emergency department. These patients should be directed to use the National Pandemic Flu Service, or to contact a primary care surgery or clinic.

Swine flu: UK planning assumptions revised

Source: Department of Health

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Year of publication: September 2009

Publication type: Best Practice

In a nutshell:  This document contains revised planning assumptions in relation to the current A(H1N1) Swine Flu pandemic. The assumptions are intended to provide a common agreed basis for planning, across all public and private sector organisations.  These assumptions are revised, reasonable worst case scenarios for planning purposes, based on the latest scientific evidence available on the A(H1N1) virus so far. They are not predictions of how we expect the virus to behave. They support effective planning for every eventuality.

Length of publication: 8 pages

Some important notes: These revised assumptions are appropriate for use until the end of the 2009/10 “seasonal flu” season – i.e. until Mid-May 2010. They supersede the planning assumptions published in July 2009.

Pandemic flu: planning and responding to primary care capacity challenges

Source: Department of Health

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Year of publication: August 2009

Publication type: Best Practice

In a nutshell:  New guidance has been published for PCTs on how to deliver primary care services whilst potentially short staffed and how to cope with increased patient demand during the pandemic and the anticipated seasonal flu.  This first practical guide to support PCTs during a pandemic situation covers primary medical care: those services provided by GP practices, GP led health centres and Out of Hours Providers (OOH).

Length of publication: 24 pages

Pandemic influenza toolkit for NHS ambulance services in England

Source: Department of Health

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Date of publication: August 2009

Publication type: Best Practice

In a nutshell:  This toolkit is part of the Department of Health’s (DH) programme for improving and enhancing the preparedness within NHS ambulance services for managing pandemic influenza. The aim is to support ambulance trusts in the delivery of an operational response. This toolkit of available best practice guidance is intended as a practical guide for NHS ambulance trusts, covering the handling of issues associated with an influenza pandemic. It has been developed by the DH Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Programme (PIPP) in conjunction with health professionals and colleagues from DH, strategic health authorities (SHAs) and NHS ambulance trusts.

Length of publication: 7 pages

Some important notes: This document supports Pandemic influenza: Guidance for ambulance services and their staff in England, which is available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/pandemicflu. The document may be updated to reflect lessons learned from future operational experience.

Swine flu: UK planning assumptions

Source: Department of Health

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Year of publication: July 2009

Publication type: Best Practice

In a nutshell: This document contains revised planning assumptions in relation to the current A(H1N1) Swine Flu pandemic. The assumptions are intended to assist local planning across all public and private sector organisations.  Planning assumptions are for both pan-UK and local areas, to take account of the potential variation in epidemic profile from one local area to another.  These assumptions are revised, reasonable worst case scenarios for planning purposes, based on what has been learned from the virus so far. They are not predictions of how the Department of Health expects the virus to behave. They support effective planning for every eventuality.

Length of publication: 6 pages 

Acknowledgement: http://www.info4local.gov.uk

Pandemic influenza: guidance on meeting the needs of vulnerable people

Source: Department of Health

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Year of publication: August 2009

Publication type: Best practice

In a nutshell: This updated guidance supports organisations in their planning for those people who are, or may become, vulnerable during a pandemic and to ensure these groups are accounted for in pandemic flu plans. The guidance covers planning assumptions; business continuity arrangements for vulnerable people; partnership working; access to anti-virals; and communication.

Length of publication: 22 pages

Some important notes: This is an update of draft guidance published in August 2008 and supercedes Pandemic influenza: guidance for planning for vulnerable groups – draft for comment