Canterbury Flu Group

Shorter ED StaysWinter PlanningApril 2013

Influenza Response Strategy

• Started with Pandemic planning• Establishment of CPPG• Sponsored by CDHB• Linking key Groups• Whole Health Response• Preserve Secondary• Care

Canterbury Flu Group

• Canterbury Primary Response Group (CPRG) • co-ordinates primary care providers

• ‘Flu Group’ (subgroup) was assembled after the successful Pandemic Planning Committee had brought various groups together

• ‘Flu Group’ meets throughout the year to plan the community response to seasonal influenza

• One of the main goals is to ease the burden on the ED and the hospital

Canterbury Flu Group

• Wide membership• Primary care Secondary care• Public Health Infectious diseases• Clinical virology Planning and Funding• CDHB Communications team• CDHB Emergency Planning • Out of Hours providers PHOs • Community Pharmacy Laboratory services• Immunization co-ordinators• CDHB senior management team rep.•

Health Sector Communications

Canterbury Influenza Response 2010Canterbury Influenza Response 2010

Public Messaging

Emergency Dept and/or Hospital

Activities of the Flu Group

• Meets monthly until flu season starts then meetings called as required and may be weekly

• Community and Public Health reports on influenza intelligence …local, national and international

• Works on the timeline with the major groups reporting at each meeting

• Ensures that public messages are consistent

Function Intelligence  

 

Immunisation Community Response

Management

Tamiflu 

Flu Line

Lead Agency C&PH ISLA CPRG Planning & Funding P & F/CPRG

February Monitor Northern Hemisphere flu trends Advise Flu Group on like impact on NZ flu season Advise on current infectious risk situation within Canterbury 

Advise on immunisation strategy and approved funding arrangements for the upcoming flu season.  Confirm arrival dates of this year’s vaccines Communications package to support strategy Primary Care advised Advise General Practice on ordering vaccines

Develop contingency plans for a range of community based response options (the Influenza Toolkit) Manage and review specific projects to assist community based flu response: e.g. SWAP Coordinate the creation of annual flu 5 year plan  Chair Flu Group Meetings as required Provide ongoing updates and advice to Primary Care Advise CDHB Comms Staff on matters affecting any response Be a point of contact for media of flu matters affecting the community Develop and promote safe waiting area project Confirm response options available and implicationsIdentify likely trigger factors and implications

Confirm Tamiflu availability and any restrictions.

Ensure automated system is operational Have a full telephone information package covering all our flu response options

Annual Community Based Flu Response Tasks (Feb 2013)

Timeline for the present month and reports

• Immunization• Fluline • General Practice• Designated General practice clinics• Emergency Department / Hospital• Planning and Funding• CPRG• Communication• public messaging• internal communication•

Timeline for the present month and reports from each group

• An example: Immunization

• 1. General immunization of at risk groups• 2. Staff immunization• 3. Free vaccine for under 18’s offered again 2013• …School based programs• previous week 25% uptake• ? Re scripting by communications• ….Immunization of 0-5s at GPs •

Timeline for the present month Report from Communications

• Comms outlines early campaign for 2013• Plans family oriented messages• Notes that advertising needs to point to Flu Line

• Will meet with GP and Vaccinator from Flu Group to organize messages for

• …. Fluline • …..messages for General Practices

• Comms. to work with Clinical Virologist, GP to develop strategy to reach parents of under 5’s

• Reports that media is making enquiries already

Media Interest

Primary Care Designated Clinics

Secondary Care

Communications Meeting Schedule

CPRG CPRG ED DHB Comms CPRG

Order Vaccines Develop and promulgate plans for activating Clinics

Intel to Flu Group Confirm Tamiflu availability for Rx and prophylactic doses for patients Identify trigger points for Patient Flow and Swabbing

Coordinate comms package to support the flu strategy Advise on additional communications effort required to support other identified infectious risks Present/discuss draft communications plan for flu strategy

Focus: Lessons from Northern Hemisphere Intel Update Confirm funding decisions and implications Response Options Communications Plan

Annual Community Based Flu Response Tasks (Feb 2013)

New Zealand November 2012

Influenza report from USA

Strengths of the Flu Group

• Co-ordinates ‘Flu ‘ activities for the region• Revises the annual Flu Strategy based on new

information and the current level of ILI• Encourages the Flu Vaccination program and

changes it if required• Plans communications for health providers and for

the public• Closely monitors the influenza season and the

impact it has on each part of the health system• All the ‘right ‘ people at the meetings • Provides consistent messages to the Public

Strengths of the Flu Group

• Develops strategies for ongoing Tamiflu use• This year… members to work with GPs to provide

advice for management of flu in rest homes

• Most importantly…..the Flu Group members know each other well and these relationships enable the group to manage any changes during the flu season and unexpected situations outside of seasonal influenza