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10 COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
10.1 Current perceptions and understandings
Preparing for, responding to and recovering from an influenza pandemic will depend significantly on co-operation between government, public authorities, business, non-governmental organisations, the voluntary sector and individuals. An effective two-way communication strategy that positively engages each of these key groups prior to and during a pandemic is therefore a major strand of the government's preparations and an emergency on this scale also needs national direction of public information from the outset. Timely advice and information will help prepare the population for the potential impact of a pandemic and will be critical to its subsequent management.
Research commissioned by the Department of Health suggested that the general level of awareness and understanding of influenza amongst health professionals and the public is very limited. Influenza itself is not generally regarded as a serious illness except by those within traditional 'at risk' groups and there is general confusion between antiviral medicines and vaccine, and their availability for treatment. 'Bird flu' is frequently confused with pandemic flu, making pandemic communications prone to misinterpretation and it is widely assumed that effective medical countermeasures will be available. Media information was perceived as sporadic, inconsistent and not associated with communications from government (even when government spokespeople are quoted).
10.2 Aims and objectives
The main aims of the UK government's communications and public engagement strategy are to:
- improve general awareness and understanding of influenza amongst the population and promote good hygiene and other general precautionary measures
- prepare the country for the probable emergence of a highly pathogenic influenza virus and what is being done to detect any such virus and prevent its spread
- achieve public support for national response and contingency measures
- explain the uncertainties and what can be done by government as a whole, the NHS, other organisations and individuals to reduce the impact of a pandemic and some of the constraints
- encourage discussion of pandemic response options, limitations and constraints in an inclusive and transparent way
- mobilise the population as partners at the response phase
- convey accurate, timely, consistent and credible advice and information to the public - including hard to reach groups - professions and business at the response and recovery stages
- provide advice for travellers and UK citizens overseas and foreign residents and visitors in the UK
- provide specific advice on response strategies and tactics as the actual characteristics and impact of an emerging virus are identified
- provide information on how assessment, healthcare and other support services should be accessed by symptomatic patients
- encourage the continuity of normal and essential activities as far as that is possible
- uphold the rule of law and democratic process
- promote individual and social responsibility
- address the needs of all groups.
During the Inter-pandemic Period, the main objectives are to provide accurate advice and information, encourage the adoption of high standards of personal hygiene and prepare the population for the emergence of an influenza pandemic and its potential impacts. During any period of increased alert and throughout the response phase, the objectives are to promote and reinforce individual and collective actions that reduce the spread of influenza and minimise its health and wider impact on the UK.
Key elements
The key elements of the government's communication and public engagement strategy are:
- encouraging prior public debate to explore the ethical, professional and practical implications of an influenza pandemic, condition public expectations and ensure that decisions are made in an inclusive and transparent way
- active media engagement to ensure that timely and accurate information and technical explanations are available to support informed reporting
- open access to various direct sources of accurate and current information such as telephone helplines and websites
- research and pre-testing to identify communication priorities and to ensure that messages are clear, effective and meet public needs
- multi-media public information campaigns delivered directly and/or through healthcare and service providers
- specialist advice and information for particular settings and sectors
- clinical information to support healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care
- rapid information sharing within and between all sectors.
10.3 Government News Co-ordination Centre and the Scottish Executive Emergency Room
The UK government's News Co-ordination Centre ( NCC) is set up to manage the communications aspects of a crisis, major emergency or other disruptive challenge. In any period of increased alert and during a pandemic, the NCC will become operational in support of the Department of Health as the lead government department and will work to the policy direction of the Cabinet Office Briefing Room. A government media centre will also be established.
In Scotland, the Scottish Executive Emergency Room ( SEER) will be established, and will coordinate information from UK and regional Scottish levels. This will include preparing briefings for Scottish Ministers, national situation reporting and acting as an information point for Scottish media inquiries.
Foreign nationals visiting or resident in the UK should maintain contact with their respective Embassies, which should have regular briefings, advice and information from relevant Government Departments.
10.4 Cascading Information
The Department of Health ( DH) will inform the Cabinet Office, the Scottish Executive Health Department ( SEHD), and Health Protection Agency should the World Health Organization declare a pandemic and provide updated threat assessments. The Cabinet Office will alert other government departments and work with DH to develop, update and circulate top line briefings via the News Co-ordination Centre. In Scotland, SEER will cascade information to NHS Boards and to other organisations via the eight regional Strategic Coordinating Groups. Communications of clinical information to Scotland's NHS Boards would be via CMO network.
10.5 Health communications
The communications plan for Scotland supports the UK Health Department's Influenza contingency plan and recognises that the Department of Health (England) has the overall UK lead and will be the primary source of health related messages and will work closely with all four Health Departments, the Cabinet Office, other government departments the HPA and HPS to deliver a nationally co-ordinated communications strategy.
Effective internal two-way communication will also be vital to an effective response in a pandemic and regional strategic Co-ordinating Groups will play a key part in linking to health services and will support and co-ordinate the activities of local NHS Boards in delivering locally tailored press notices, key fact sheets and identifying suitable spokespersons.
All mainstream information and campaign materials need to be accessible to the widest possible audience, including 'hard to reach' groups. Explanatory leaflets, a guide explaining pandemic flu and other informative material is already available on the Scottish Executive Avian & Pandemic Flu web pages ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/AvianInfluenza) Information leaflets have been distributed to GP surgeries, pharmacists, and NHS 24 call centres and walk-in centres. Plans for a print and broadcast advertising campaign and a public information film have also been developed and will be held on standby. A national leaflet door drop will be activated at WHO phase 5.
Chief Medical Officers have an important professional leadership role in a pandemic. In conjunction with expert groups, professional bodies and health protection agencies, they will provide advice and information and may need to adapt initial guidance as the characteristics of the emerging influenza virus become more apparent or if capacity, pharmaceuticals or other supplies pressures make tactical changes necessary.
10.6 Telephone advice and access
A separate single number automated influenza action line is being planned in conjunction with the Department of Health (England) and the Central Office of Information ( COI) for use in public information campaigns, to provide an information flyer ordering service and a daily situation update supplied by Cabinet Office or DH. Symptomatic callers will be automatically directed to the appropriate local health co-ordination centre for advice and assistance.
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