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Slow response to E.Coli Farm Outbreak
Posted on Tuesday 6th July 2010
An independent investigation into the outbreak of E. coli O157 at Godstone Farm in 2009 has recommended that every local authority has a senior post dedicated to managing the
authority?s role in outbreak control.
It also calls for enhanced training for EHOs in risk assessing and inspecting open farms.
The investigation was chaired by Prof George Griffin. Its report is highly critical of the Health Protection Agency?s response to the E. coli outbreak.
The UK?s largest outbreak linked to an open farm made 93 people ill, including 82 children, eight of whom required dialysis. Some children may need a kidney transplant.
The report says: ?No one person in the Health Protection Unit appears to have had a clear picture of how many cases of E. coli O157 with links to Godstone Farm had been reported. The outbreak control team was convened exceptionally late? Had it been convened earlier, there would almost certainly have been a more effective control of the outbreak.? There was also ?unacceptable delay? in starting the case-control study.
The report adds: ?There was a lack of public health leadership and a missed opportunity to exercise decisive public health action and restrict the size of the outbreak.?
Jenny Morris, CIEH principal policy officer, who gave evidence to the report said: ?We were pleased to be invited to talk to the investigation and glad that, in these times of change, it acknowledged the need for a clearly- identified, competent, senior officer to manage a local authority?s outbreak control response. We will now do our best to help the profession to act on the inquiry?s finding.?
Justin McCracken, HPA chief executive, acknowledged that the agency should have responded quicker. He said it would act immediately on all the recommendations, working with local authorities, the Health and Safety Executive and government departments.
There would be new guidelines for health protection units, operating instructions for staff and an improved, web-based office management system. The HPA would have a new serious incident policy and its emergency response plan would be reviewed.
www.griffininvestigation.org.uk
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NEWS 02/07/10
