13.10.14
NHS 111 to screen callers for Ebola
Calls to the NHS 111 non-emergency phone line are to be screened for possible Ebola symptoms, health secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced.
He said anyone phoning with possible symptoms would be asked about their travel history to see if they have been to west Africa, and referred to local emergency services if necessary.
Should any paramedics be dispatched they would have “appropriate protective equipment”, he added.
From next week Heathrow and Gatwick and Eurostar terminals will begin Ebola screening, with checks on people arriving in the UK.
Hunt said the UK had “robust and well-tested systems for dealing with any imported case of Ebola”, but added: “We keep the need for further measures under review and will never be complacent – and so I asked for additional steps to be taken by NHS 111. Now all call handlers on the NHS 111 service are asking anyone reporting potential symptoms of Ebola, such as respiratory problems, high temperatures, or diarrhoea and vomiting, about their recent travel history, so appropriate help can be given to people who might be at higher risk of having come into contact with the virus.
“The NHS and Public Health England are well prepared for Ebola, and I am determined to make sure that we continue to do everything we can to protect the public, based on the best medical advice.”
Universities are also preparing for the arrival of 20,000 students from West Africa as the new academic year begins. Plans have been put in place in place to monitor the highest-risk students for up to three weeks. Cleaners have been told to look out for symptoms such as signs of blood or vomit in students’ rooms, as well as being warned of the infection risks of contact with bodily fluids.
The new screening comes as Sally Davies, the UK’s chief medical officer, said the country should expect a “handful” of Ebola cases in the coming months and a major exercise to test the country’s readiness for such cases proved plans were “robust”.
Tell us what you think – have your say below or email us directly at [email protected]