Comms strategy must be tested for emergencies

Every NHS organisation must test their communication strategy twice a year in order to ensure readiness for major incidents, according to new guidelines published by the NHS’s Emergency Preparedness Division.

Updated emergency planning guidance now under development will include details on how NHS Direct is to be used in the event of a major incident. 

The NHS Emergency Planning Guidance 2005, aimed at all NHS organisations as well as GPs and allied health professionals, covers topics such as how a major incident is defined, how internal communications and alerts are to be handled and standard messages and flowcharts, as well as risk assessment, public communication and guidance on co-operation between local bodies.

As well as testing their communications every six months, NHS organisations will also be expected to have carry out live exercises every three years and theoretical ‘table-top’ tests every year, and trust boards must appoint one of their executive directors to be in charge of this.

Ambulance trusts have "specific responsibilities" according to the guidance. In the event of a sudden, ‘big bang’ incident, they must notify appropriate NHS organisations of the location, nature and any "specific hazards, for example, chemical, radiation or other known hazards".

Proper information sharing is key to civil protection, says the guidance. All major incident plans should be held in the public domain, barring the disclosure of what the guidance calls "sensitive or confidential information".

Further to this, it stresses, emergency planning guidance for health services will be disseminated and updated only via the web in the future.

The 47-page guidelines will be held online at http://www.dh.gov.uk/emergencyplanning. Printed versions will no longer be available. According to Dr Penny Bevan, head of the Emergency Preparedness Division, keeping the guidance online only will allow for "rapid updating", as well as the ability to leave feedback.

Work is also in progress on specific guidance with regards to burns, radiation and child health, which will also be published and updated on the DH’s emergency planning website.