Trust Board Meeting 19 May 2009

Transcription

1 Trust Board Meeting 19 May 2009 Paper Ref: Emergency Preparedness Title: This report is compiled to assist the Trust Board in Summary: maintaining an awareness of Emergency Preparedness activities and developments across YAS For Approval Action Required: Mike Shanahan: Assistant Director Emergency Author: Preparedness Accountable Director: FOI Status: Ian Walton: Operations Director AE Open Business Report: RAG Status: G Strategic Objective: Resilience - Maintaining business continuity at all times, whilst having the capacity and ability to respond appropriately to emergencies or crises Assurance Standards for Better Health: C24 Auditors Local Evaluation: N/A Performance: Clinical Performance Indicators: Assurance Framework: N/A Resilience Principle Risks ( ) Business Plan Objective: Risk Management Scheme for Trusts: Resilience Page 1 of 5

2 1.0 PURPOSE 1.1 This paper outlines the current activity within the Emergency Preparedness department in relation to the planned programme of work to ensure fitness for purpose and early indicators of events/impacts on the horizon. 2.0 CONTEXT 2.1 The Trust Board will be aware of the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act of 2004, which sets out the generic framework for civil protection, through the statutory duties required from Category 1 and 2 responders. 2.2 In addition the Department of Health, under the Emergency Planning Guidance of 2005 requires Ambulance Services to be capable of responding to major incident of any scale in a way that delivers optimum care and assistance to the casualties. 3.0 NEXT STEPS 3.1 In review of the Trust dealt with a total of 75 incidents that had the potential to become major incidents at the time of call. These calls ranged from telephone advice to actual response and declaration of a major incident. 3.2 Table 1 below details the breakdown of incidents by area: Area Incidents South Yorkshire 14 North Yorkshire 8 East Yorkshire 3 West Yorkshire 46 Out of Region Responses 4 Total Table 2 below details the number of exercises YAS participated in across the region Area Table Top Live Exercises Exercises South Yorkshire 7 3 North Yorkshire 9 1 East Yorkshire 3 West Yorkshire 3 2 Out of Region Exercises 1 Total 22 7 Page 2 of 5

3 3.4 Hazardous Area Response Team (HART): The HART unit are on target to be operational by September The training programmes continue, with the first tranche of staff having completed the pre-course training and are now on the Incident Response Unit training phase at Winterbourne Gunner, with four staff at The Fire Service Training College at Morton in the Marsh on the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) course. The HART vehicles have been procured and are on the YAS asset register, in storage awaiting conversion of the Operational Support Unit at Morley. 3.5 The estate reconfiguration for the HART is scheduled for commencement in May. The building will be released to the contractors for conversion with a planned completion and handover date in July. 3.6 To retain the capability that Morley provided, garaging facilities for the Major Incident support vehicles, a training suite, in addition to the focal point for emergency preparedness an alternative facility has been negotiated with the Department of Health. The new facility will be provided at the Magna Business Park in Rotherham, providing the same facilities as currently available in Morley. Both the HART station at Morley and the new emergency preparedness facility in Rotherham are funded from the HART programme. 3.7 Business Continuity: The business critical function plans are in final draft and are scheduled to be tabled to the Executive Team for approval in May. Work is due to commence to develop the non critical function department plans in May. 3.8 Interviews were held recently to appoint a Business Continuity Manager for the Trust and we are pleased to inform the Board the successful candidate commences work with the Trust in June. A timetable for completion of the business continuity plans has been developed and is in line with the development plan produced for the Care Quality Commission (Health Care Commission C24 Standard at the time of writing the action plan to meet compliance). 3.9 National Update: The Ambulance Service Network, Emergency Preparedness Board has produced a five year strategy to develop emergency preparedness across England and the Devolved Administrations, with the aim of providing a consistent standard. The key work streams to achieve this are: i) Education and Development ii) Business Continuity Management iii) Special Operations iv) Commissioning and Funding v) Policies and Procedures vi) Equipment and Resources Page 3 of 5

4 3.10 Progress on the strategy will be reported back to the Ambulance Chief Executives Group The 2012 Olympic Games continue to be a key planning feature within emergency preparedness. This remains a regular agenda item for the Emergency Preparedness Board, as the Games will affect all ambulance services across the UK. The Trust Board will be kept appraised as planning becomes more detailed and their impacts on YAS are clearer Fuel: Funding has recently been given to YAS ( 500,000) from the Department of Health to ensure greater fuel resilience across the Trust. A gap analysis was undertaken from the Hoyer s fuel dispute last year and discussions have commenced with Estates and Fleet with a view to increasing fuel stocks across the Trust in strategically identified areas Swine Flu: The Trust Board will be aware of the recent outbreak of Swine Influenza in Mexico. This is a new strain of virus which is predicted to become a pandemic. The World Health Organisation increased the Alert Level to 5 (previously at Level 3) The YAS Pandemic Influenza plan as previously reported to the Board has two key elements in need of completion. These are; i) Protection of the 999 system ii) Clinical algorithms for the safe treatment and or discharge at point of contact Both elements are plans being developed by the Department of Health for Ambulance Services. A national work stream consisting of Ambulance Service leads, Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts, and the DH has been established and work continues to bring these and other key work areas to fruition 3.16 The YAS Pandemic Influenza Committee has produced comparative work streams to the national group, thereby ensuring the development of our plan is consistent with the DH. Recent events have accelerated work streams, both nationally and regionally Horizon Scanning: At this time the Swine Flu outbreak presents the greatest threat, both in health terms and in maintaining core services. Scientists and Health professionals current thinking is that the current outbreak will continue in a mild form and predict it will return in a more virulent form during this coming winter. This will test our business continuity plans to the extreme The Emergency Preparedness department continues to support the patient care initiatives that have been developed. In June the Page 4 of 5

5 training programmes for CBRN, Emergency Preparedness updates, and other departmental training programmes will recommence. 4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 4.1 It is recommended that: i) The Board are assured of progress in fulfilling its Emergency Preparedness function. Page 5 of 5