Disease outbreak surveillance
Insufficiently comprehensive or risk-based surveillance activities by APHA, leading to reduced capacity to detect new disease threats.
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
82match
#1 - Animal diseases pose a national security risk and threaten farmer wellbeing.
Animal disease threats like foot and mouth disease and African swine fever are a national security issue and must be understood as such across Government. Although it is not possible to prevent all contaminated animal products entering Great Britain, the Government must take all possible steps to reduce the risk of disease incursion through human-mediated routes. Prevention of...
Matched on
terms: disease, outbreak
Committee recommendation
73match
#7 - Fifth Report - Global Health, Global Britain
We are concerned that the UK’s reduced access to European health networks could undermine the UK and European response to future disease outbreaks. We recommend that the Government builds structured permanent cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). In its response to this report, the FCDO should set out its assessment of how its...
Matched on
terms: disease, outbreak
Committee recommendation
70match
#24 - Ensure Great Britain maintains robust risk-based controls against serious plant and animal diseases
The Government must ensure that Great Britain is able to maintain risk- based controls to protect against serious plant and animal disease threats. This includes the continuation of robust import controls on plants that can host the bacterial disease caused by Xylella species and subspecies. (Recommendation, Paragraph 68)
Matched on
terms: disease
Committee recommendation
70match
#23 - Great Britain must retain ability to apply robust biosecurity measures against European diseases
Maintaining Great Britain’s biosecurity is vital. Britain’s geography provides natural protection from many plant and animal health threats. Any future SPS agreement will require adjustments to existing border controls, but it remains essential that GB retains the ability to apply robust, evidence- based measures to prevent the introduction of diseases from Europe. (Conclusion, Paragraph 67)
Matched on
terms: disease
PFD report
69match
Wessam al Jundi
The coroner noted current surveillance programs for respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure are insufficient due to rapid disease onset. Many companies working with artificial stone products lack safe working conditions, adequate dust suppression, PPE, and ventilation.
Matched on
terms: disease, surveillance
Inquiry recommendation
69match
R53 - Surveillance systems fit for purpose
Health Boards should ensure that surveillance systems are fit for purpose, are simple to use and monitor, and provide information on potential outbreaks in real time.
Matched on
terms: outbreak, surveillance
Committee recommendation
66match
#10 - Defra lacks comprehensive strategy and convincing plan to prevent animal diseases and tackle POAO smuggling.
The Committee supports the Government’s commitment to “do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth”. The Committee welcomes efforts made so far, but concludes that there is more that Defra 36 could and should be doing to prevent animal diseases like foot and mouth and African swine fever. There is no encompassing strategy to...
Matched on
terms: disease
Committee recommendation
65match
#1 - Third Report - Growing back better: putting nature and net zero at the heart of the...
The consequences of another widespread outbreak of a zoonotic disease of similar lethality would be catastrophic. Covid-19 must therefore be treated as a wake-up call. The factors which appear to be increasing the incidence of such diseases must be thoroughly investigated and urgent action taken to mitigate the risks.
Matched on
terms: disease, outbreak
Committee recommendation
65match
#1 - Provide funding for diagnostic facilities and ensure focus on multiple vaccine technologies for pandemics
Should our successor Committee wish to further explore emerging diseases and learnings from covid-19, we recommend: • Funding should be made available for diagnostic facilities to uphold contracts, maintain equipment, and run laboratories to allow for fast and accurate diagnoses and aid the surveillance of emerging diseases; and • Ensure the UK Government focuses on multiple vaccine technologies...
Matched on
terms: disease, surveillance
Committee recommendation
65match
#22 - Current UK animal tracing systems are fragmented, old, and fragile
Livestock movements in England are significant. For example, there are around 20 million movements of sheep to or from different farms, livestock markets, collection centres, and to abattoirs each year. These movements increase the risk of spreading disease. Being able to trace animal movements quickly is therefore key in responding quickly and effectively to contain an outbreak.30 The...
Matched on
terms: disease, outbreak
Committee recommendation
62match
#10 - Require confirmation of disease commodity code database and a 24/7 IPAFFS update team.
In response to this Report, the Government should confirm that it has produced a list of pre-identified commodity codes for the top five notifiable diseases and provide a copy of this database containing the commodity codes in question to the committee. The Government should also confirm that it has established a digital team that can update IPAFFS ‘24-7,...
Matched on
terms: disease
PFD report
61match
Terence Brooks
The coroner noted the hospital lacked understanding in interpreting Legionella water sample results, leading to an erroneous conclusion about the infection source. There was no established procedure for investigating Legionella outbreaks.
Matched on
terms: outbreak
PFD report
57match
Brenda Elmer
The coroner raised concerns about the lack of communication to out-of-area hospital patients regarding a Listeria outbreak, which delayed diagnosis. They also noted no legal requirement for private labs or hospitals to share Listeria isolates, impeding early outbreak identification.
Matched on
terms: outbreak
Inquiry recommendation
57match
R16 - CDI outbreak reporting
Health Boards should ensure that the nurse in charge of each ward reports suspected outbreaks of CDI (as defined in local guidance) to the Infection Control Team.
Matched on
terms: outbreak
Committee recommendation
57match
#54 - Fifth Report: Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (coronavirus): management of the borders
Keeping measures in place while closely monitoring travel corridors and other exceptions will be important to ensure that the UK does not reimport unmanageable levels of COVID-19. This is particularly important when there is doubt about the affordability—both economically, and in terms of goodwill—of a second national lockdown, and when seasonal pressures on the NHS begin to build...
Matched on
terms: disease
Committee recommendation
57match
#12 - Fifth Report: Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (coronavirus): management of the borders
It is now apparent that many more COVID-19 cases were imported to the UK from Europe in mid-March than was estimated at the time, when, with the exception of Italy, the focus remained largely on potential importations of the virus from Asia. As evidenced by genomic studies and referenced by Sir Patrick Vallance in oral evidence, a large...
Matched on
terms: outbreak
Committee recommendation
57match
#5 - Fifth Report - Global Health, Global Britain
Without a full and transparent investigation into the origins of covid-19, we are at greater risk of a disastrous new outbreak. By impeding efforts to trace the origins of the virus, Beijing is endangering its own population along with the rest of the world. Even with a full investigation, the limited access to data and to key sites...
Matched on
terms: outbreak
Committee recommendation
57match
#14 - Increasing threat from highly resistant Gram-negative infections with limited treatment options
Dr Partridge told us that there is also an increasing threat in the UK from strains of pathogens which cause Gram-negative infections that are more likely to be resistant and more likely to result in the death of the patient. In particular, there has been an increase in Gram-negative pathogens which produce specific types of enzymes which are...
Matched on
terms: surveillance
Committee recommendation
57match
#5 - Compel travel operators and scale up Defra communications including a digital import tool.
Travel operators should be legally compelled to inform travellers of the rules for personal imports from the EU into GB. Defra must immediately scale up its communications to the public about personal import rules and reach a much broader audience. Communications must explain both the rules and their purpose, such as the specific threats of foot and mouth...
Matched on
terms: disease
Inquiry recommendation
53match
COVID-M3.8 - Recording Healthcare Worker Deaths
The UK government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive should work with their respective public health agencies and healthcare employers to develop nation-specific mechanisms to collect, analyse and publish data systematically on the deaths of healthcare workers in the event of a pandemic outbreak. The UK Statistics Authority should work with data providers to ensure that...
Matched on
terms: outbreak
Committee recommendation
53match
#21 - First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
While there have been some outbreaks in meat and poultry processing plants in England and Wales, these have been in the minority, which is a testament to the efforts of the industry to keep workers safe. Further investigations should be carried out by the Government and industry on the reasons for these outbreaks. We are concerned that factors...
Matched on
terms: outbreak
Committee recommendation
53match
#40 - Fifth Report: Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (coronavirus): management of the borders
The creation of a Joint Biosecurity Centre ought to represent a step forward in the management of the pandemic, establishing clear responsibility for regular surveillance of travel risks from different countries and publishing clear and transparent analysis, including of international prevalence rates. It should also be responsible for assessing the combined public health impact of all the border...
Matched on
terms: surveillance
Committee recommendation
53match
#34 - Fifth Report: Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (coronavirus): management of the borders
We welcome the Government’s commitment regularly to review its border quarantine regulations. The move to weekly and daily reviews of travel corridors is welcome as three-weekly reviews were not sufficiently frequent. Far more frequent review appropriately reflects the agility required to prevent a rise in importations. We recommend that the Government publish the methodology and findings of its...
Matched on
terms: surveillance
Committee recommendation
53match
#6 - Fifth Report: Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (coronavirus): management of the borders
However, the failure to advise people travelling or returning from Spain in particular to self-isolate for 14 days (in line with category 1) or, at the very least, to monitor symptoms and call NHS 111 (in line with category 2) was a mistake. With border measures in mind, there should have been particular surveillance focus on the countries...
Matched on
terms: surveillance
Committee recommendation
53match
#162 - Third Report - Coronavirus: lessons learned to date
The Government, via the World Health Organisation, should make the case for an international standard of reporting covid-19 deaths and a framework for reporting disease related deaths for future pandemics. 60 Coronavirus: lessons learned to date 4 Testing and contact tracing
Matched on
terms: disease
Committee recommendation
53match
#162 - Sixth Report - Coronavirus: lessons learned to date
The Government, via the World Health Organisation, should make the case for an international standard of reporting covid-19 deaths and a framework for reporting disease related deaths for future pandemics. 60 Coronavirus: lessons learned to date 4 Testing and contact tracing
Matched on
terms: disease
Committee recommendation
53match
#9 - Design a strategy to reduce demand for illegally imported products and engage communities.
Defra should work with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland to design a strategy to reduce demand for illegally imported products. Defra must further consider how to engage with Eastern European communities in Great Britain to raise awareness of animal disease risks and controls. (Recommendation, Paragraph 30) Inter-agency working
Matched on
terms: disease
Committee recommendation
53match
#26 - Develop strategy by June 2026 to reduce demand for illegally imported animal products
Defra must not wait until SPS negotiations are concluded before developing a strategy to reduce demand for illegally imported animal products. We reiterate the recommendation made in our previous report on this topic that the Government, by June 2026, should begin work with the FSA, FSS and local authorities to develop a strategy to tackle the domestic demand...
Matched on
terms: disease
GIRFT recommendation
53match
Spinal Surgery
Mandatory requirement for trusts to participate in Public Health England's surveillance of SSI post-spinal surgery.
Matched on
terms: surveillance
IMB recommendation
53match
Glasgow, Edinburgh and Larne House Short Term Holding Facilities (2021)
That, in light of the experiences learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, detailed epidemic/infection control plans, with actions, are shared with the IMB GEL. This practice should be adopted in any further outbreaks of contagious illnesses.
Matched on
terms: outbreak
Inquiry recommendation
53match
R54 - Surveillance system training
Health Boards should ensure that the users of surveillance systems are properly trained in their use and fully aware of how to use and respond to the data available.
Matched on
terms: surveillance
PFD report
49match
Karen Starling and Anne Martinez
The coroner highlights an incomplete understanding of M abscessus in hospital water systems. Health Technical Memorandum 04-01 lacks specific guidance for identifying, controlling, or testing for M abscessus, especially for immunosuppressed patients and new hospitals.
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PFD report
49match
Patricia Lines
The coroner raised concerns about the national guidance for skin cleaning prior to injections, which suggests cleaning is not necessary if skin is clean. The report noted this advice, based on dated evidence, contrasts with the bacterial reduction achieved by alcohol wipes.
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classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
48match
COVID-M3.4 - Data Systems for High-Risk Individuals
The UK government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive must ensure that health data and digital systems have the capability to identify individuals at high risk of morbidity or mortality from a pandemic disease quickly and accurately in a future pandemic. This should include action to improve health data systems and patient record-keeping by: improving patient...
Matched on
terms: disease
CQC action
48match
Clatterbridge Hospital
The services should continue to develop its surveillance of surgical site infections.
Matched on
terms: surveillance
PFD report
45match
Carla London
The coroner noted a need to consider NICE guidance on late-onset sepsis in babies under 1500g and for further research into infection monitoring systems like HeRO.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Ana Sirghi-Marin
The coroner identified that discoloured amniotic fluid, even when not purulent or blood-stained, should always be sent for immediate microbiological analysis with prompt follow-up of results. A guideline implementing this action is recommended as a wise precaution.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Dylan Hill
There are no formal procedures for health services to report non-fatal anaphylactic reactions caused by commercial food premises to regulatory bodies like Trading Standards. This lack of communication prevents timely intervention and appropriate action regarding allergen risks at such premises.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Lauren Sandell
The coroner notes confusion regarding responsibility for vaccinating children who miss school programmes before university, especially as the MenW vaccination is an optional GP service. There is no clear audit to ensure GP practices identify and vaccinate these children.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Natasha Ednan-Laperouse
The coroner identified inadequate allergen labelling and a lack of coordinated monitoring for allergic reactions at Pret-a-Manger, alongside concerns about Epipen auto-injectors having insufficient needle length and a lower adrenaline dose than recommended.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Sebastian Clark
The coroner noted the absence of a national programme for streptococcal infection screening in labouring women and suggested consideration of a national policy similar to Kingston Hospital's guidance on pyrexia and suspected chorioamnionitis.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Tien Phung
The coroner notes that Strongyloides stercoralis forms are not routinely screened for prior to transplant surgery, despite the infection being treatable if identified early and prevalent worldwide.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Zona Tebbs
The coroner identifies a failure to effectively communicate key changes in clinical practice and updated medical guidance to healthcare professionals, noting that requiring practitioners to navigate multiple links increases the risk of information being overlooked.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Leslie Harris
The coroner raised concerns regarding the interpretation of Public Health England guidance on patient movement to Covid-19 isolation wards, noting that varied interpretations across trusts could put vulnerable patients at risk of infection.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Brian Mottram
The coroner noted GP surgeries in Tameside predominantly used telephone appointments, potentially delaying COVID-19 identification and treatment. Concerns were also raised regarding the clarity of processes for identifying high-risk COVID-19 cases or when to conduct additional assessments for vulnerable patients.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Alexandra Briess
The coroner identified a need for a robust national system to capture and record fatal and near-fatal anaphylaxis cases, and to fund appropriate research to improve understanding and prevent future deaths.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Kimberley Sampson and Samantha Mulcahy
The coroner noted a lack of specific national guidance on prescribing antiviral medication for Herpes Simplex in post-partum women with systemic infection, and insufficient awareness of it as a potential diagnosis in sepsis pathways.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Carrianne Franks
The coroner noted concerns that clinical guidelines do not identify healthcare professionals as a heightened risk group for TB exposure, and the definition of 'close contact' for staff notification is too narrow. There is also insufficient education for NHS staff on TB symptoms, and the 'warn and inform' process needs to broaden for highly transmissible cases to include...
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Sienna Barber
The coroner noted the absence of specific NICE guidance for diagnosing and treating Group A Streptococcus, particularly for high-risk groups. The report also highlighted that a NICE review of rapid antigen testing excluded children under five, where such testing could be beneficial.
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classifier match
PFD report
45match
Laura Farmer
The UKHSA's information gathering regarding the E coli source was incomplete, and crucial details from the family were not sought. Public health authorities also did not provide adequate safety advice to the family or feedback to treating clinicians, making it difficult for the family to obtain information.
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