Meningitis Management
Guidance
Status
Agreed
Owner
Student Support Service
Approved/Agreed by
Health & Safety Forum
23/05/12
Publication on Web Site
October 2012
Contents:
Page
1.
University Meningococcal Policy
3
2.
Organisational details and response
4
3.
First Reporting of a case
5
4.
Reporting schedule
6
5.
Process
7
6.
Response Team responsibilities
8
7.
Summary of Communication routines
9
8.
Communication Procedures
10
9.
Resultant fatality
12
9.
Incident Log Form
13
2
UNIVERSITY MENINGOCOCCAL POLICY
Meningococcal disease is a medical emergency with rapidly evolving characteristics,
therefore all students showing signs and symptoms that may be suggestive of
meningococcal disease should receive appropriate medical attention as soon as possible.
Note that the early signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease may be difficult to
diagnose.
Meningococcal disease is notifiable and any clinician suspecting a case of meningitis must
report it to Public Health. (Meningitis and septicaemia can be caused by other bacteria
and viruses and public health action is rarely required in these circumstances, so this
policy relates only to meningococcal disease).
Public Health will notify the University of all cases of probable and confirmed
meningococcal disease of students at the University irrespective of whether they relate to
students in halls of residence or not.
The Public Health Protection Unit (PHPU) at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will oversee
contact tracing and decide who should receive antibiotics as close contacts of the case.
This process may already be underway by the time the University authorities are aware of
the case. Public Health will provide the full background and names of the individuals
concerned to the University.
(Note: Antibiotic prophylaxis cannot be relied upon to prevent illness in all contacts,
therefore all close contacts should be alerted to the signs and symptoms of meningococcal
disease including the provision of leaflets by Public Health).
In the event of a probable or confirmed case of meningococcal disease in a student, the
Public Health Protection Unit at NHS GGC supplies relevant letters for students (e.g.
classmates) together with a standard leaflet to inform and raise awareness in students
enclosed.
When 2 or more cases occur in students in the university that may be linked or known to
be linked, an Incident Control Team will be set up that will include representatives from
the PHPU and University authorities. The Consultant in Public Health Medicine would
normally chair the group. The immediate priority is to alert all students and staff of the
situation, and the PHPU will also inform local GP’s, Accident and Emergency departments
and laboratories with accurate information and advice. An outbreak of meningococcal
disease is defined as two confirmed or probable cases occurring in a four week period
which are or could be the same serogroup, serotype and serosubtype
In the event of a student fatality, special support and advice will be required from the
PHPU and a representative from the PHPU will visit the University to discuss action
required.
3
All new University students should be made aware of the signs and symptoms of
meningococcal disease at the start of the academic year by whatever communicational
and support means available.
All students that have not received Men C vaccine should be advised to do so. Remember
there is as yet no vaccine available for Men B, which is the most common disease causing
strain in the UK.
Organisational details and response in event of case of meningococcal disease
Name
Alex Killick
Director of People
Jan Hulme
University Secretary
Jackie Main
Director of Student Experience
Margaret Ward
Head of Student Support &
International Service
Occupational Health Manager
- Cigna
Occupational Health Advisor
Head of Communications and
Public Affairs
Stephen Lopez
Head of Student Administration
Kathleen Cleary
HR Advisor (Team Lead)
David Carse
General Manager, Students
Association
Lynn Ferrier
Accommodation Manager
Therese Fraser
Head of Campus Services
Consultant in Public Health
Medicine (CPHM) - GGHB
Day Nursery Manager
Dr Webster
GP – Woodside Health Centre
John Steel
Practice Manager – Woodside
Health Centre
Normal Office Hours
0141 331 8441
Outwith Office Hours
07757014536
Mobile
07757014536
0141 331 3440
07717440776
07717440776
0141 273 1790
0141 956 3745
07826918973
0141 273 1196
0141 884 7719
07746597917
07786310627
07903997937
0141 331 8212
0141 331 8670
0141 331 8029
07525496604
0141 331 8845
07985441031
0141 273 1600
07870671290
0141 331 3976
0141 331 3958
0141 331 3906
0141 201 4917
07818002156
0141 211 3600
(switchboard – ask for
on-call CPHM)
0141 332 7654
0141 531 9570
0141 531 9570
07776231122
0141 531 9580
4
1.
First reporting of a case - links between Public Health and University
1.1
Information about a new case is most likely to become known to:
- the Public Health Medicine department of the relevant Health Board
- the University Occupational Health unit
- the University Accommodation Office
- the Caledonian Nursery
- other local Universities
If the University learns of a case, in the first instance it must contact the Public Health
Department, (201 4917). If the Public Health Department is advised of a case by a hospital
doctor or GP it will contact Security on 0141 331 3787. The BCP incident response will be
involved. All staff and Students must report instances to security.
This reporting link applies to all cases, whether in halls of residence, flats leased by the
University, private accommodation or if the case is a child using the campus nursery.
1.2
As Convenor of the Incident Management Team, (IMT), the Director of People, (or his
deputy), has the responsibility to alert the Core Team members and advise them to be on
stand by. The Convenor would then arrange a meeting of the Incident Management Team
as soon as practicable after notification. The Director of Human People or his deputy, will
always be contactable via the mobile number should an incident occur out with office
hours or during holiday periods.
If the University is requested to act on feedback, from the Public Health Department, then
a meeting will be arranged with the incident management team being convened as soon
as possible.
5
GCU First-Line reporting schedule – immediate communications
Alert Security Staff of Incident
Director of People
Or
Director of Student Experience
Assess
NO
Is assistance/call out protocols
required?
YES
Set up incident team
as appropriate
Incident dealt with
Head of
Communications and
Public Affairs
IRIS Report raised
Head of Student
Adminsitration
CLOSE OUT
NO
Deal with through
local protocols
(Advise Executive
and complete
Incident Log)
Are multiple cases
confirmed
YES
SA General Manager
Advise students Advise Via
own protocols
close contacts
CLOSE OUT
CLOSE OUT
6
2.
Process to be followed
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Security contact Director of People or Director of Student Experience.
Director of People and Director of Student Experience contact each other.
Impact is assessed.
Check with Public Health Department if it is an issue:
 Provide directions
 Co-ordinate response if necessary
Contact local GP Practice (Woodside Health Centre).
Contact Head of Communications & Public Affairs
 Press statement
 Contact parents
Contact relevant Dean/Academic Administration:
 Contact students in class
 Contact relevant staff
Response line set up:
 Marketing & Communications to man telephone line (line to be set up)
 Dedicated number for emergencies to be established
 Executive to be briefed
 Monitor situation
7
Actions and Responsibilities of Response Team
Director of Student Experience






Call Incident Team as appropriate
Contact Head of Communications & Public Affairs
Set up incident command centre
Inform Principle and Vice Chancellor.
Inform Director of People
Delegate Roles within team
Director of Finance


Liaise with insurance company.
Allocate resources and budget code for emergency
purchases.
Provide charge card as appropriate.
Liaise with Facilities Management Department (FMD) to
decide resource allocation, alternative
teaching/residential accommodation.


Head of Communications & Public Affairs




Set up Press area.
Instruct Switchboard staff via Head of Campus Services.
Issue holding statement.
Identify press officer.
Facilities Management Department (FMD)
Head of Campus Services
Head of Estates and Buildings




Liaise with Incident Controller.
Liaise with Incident response team.
Liaise with Director of Finance.
Contact Central Timetabling Office (CTO), and other FMD
resources as appropriate.
Liaise with Operations Manager.
Advise on duration and impact of incident.


Director of People





Health and Safety Advisor



General Manager, Students Association
Liaise with Head of Departments/Schools and staff.
Liaise with Students Association
Liaise with University “neighbours” and local businesses.
Delegate roles to Business Partners to keep Head of
Departments and Deans updated as instructed by Head
of Communications and Public Affairs
Liaise with Head of Student Administration.
Liaise with Head of Human Resources Department.
Offer support and guidance on Health and Safety
matters.
Assist Head of FMD.
 Information on Students and Communications link.
8
3.
On Calling Incident Management Team Meetings
3.1
Purpose
It is the Team’s responsibility to ensure that clear and consistent information and advice is
provided to all appropriate audiences both internal and external.
If there has been one case of meningitis, the Team will operate under GCU auspices. If
there is a second case within the month, the Team moves to the status of an outbreak
control group and will operate under Public Health auspices.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3.2
to share information in groups, within 12 hours of incident
to agree communication strategy
to confirm action required of individuals
to schedule follow-up meetings
to maintain effective two-way liaison between Public Health and GCU
Outline agenda for meetings of Incident Management Team
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
3.3
Review of situation/Note of previous meeting/Matters arising
Update on case
Control measures - Prophylaxis/Vaccination.
Communications - class contacts/student contacts in University residence/relevant
staff (usually the case’s Head of Department)/press and media/National Meningitis
Trust.
Other Business
Next Meeting
Timing
The first meeting should be arranged as soon as possible after information on the case is
received. Further meetings should be arranged after one month of the incident. A followup/de-briefing meeting should always occur after every incident.
4.
Summary of communication routines within the University
4.1
For information co-ordination purposes the Marketing and Communications Department
should be regarded as the information centre into which all other departments should
feed their updates and information.
Although the Incident Management Team (IMT) would make the decisions regarding what
information is to be released, when and to whom, it is Marketing & Communications
which would produce the information and manage its dissemination to all internal and
9
external contacts. To this end it is essential that a communications officer, or deputy,
forms part of the IMT.
4.2
4.3
Press Contacts
1
All press contacts should go through Marketing & Communications: Head
or Press Officer
2
It is the responsibility of Marketing & Communications to liaise with the relevant
Public Health/Health Board Press Office (NHS GGC 0141 201 4429) and to issue any
statements. (please refer to Proformas)
Contact with the National Meningitis Trust (NMT)
1.
Marketing & Communications should call the NMT and advise of the case and how
many class contacts are being sent information which includes the Trust’s tel.
number. Marketing & Communications may also be required to fax them GCU
press releases to assist their help-lines.
2.
Marketing & Communications should co-ordinate requests for NMT leaflets for
distribution within GCU.
5.
Communication Procedures
5.1
Communication with students & staff in the University - Within 36 Hours
It is very unlikely that a mass student information drive would be appropriate. This should
be reserved for major incidents only, to communicate a request for urgent action. Initially
communication should concentrate on the suspected/confirmed case’s class contacts
only who should be informed by the following action:
□
□
□
A letter and leaflet from Public Health, a NMT leaflet, and a covering letter from the
IMT Convenor should be sent to class contacts at their term/out of term address.
(Please refer to Appendix 1 and Proformas)
Possible announcement at lectures of class contacts
A member of the IMT will be allocated the task of informing the appropriate staff.
The appropriate staff member is likely to be the Head of Department (HoD) for the
case’s degree programme. It is the responsibility of this HoD to inform other
department staff who may need to know and to ensure that anyone informed abides
by the Public Health Department’s confidentiality policy*.
10
* Public Health insist on patient confidentiality to protect the individual affected.
Members of the IMT will be informed of the case’s details but should not pass this
information on to anyone, unless authorised to do so by Public Health.
□
5.2
Marketing & Communications, following discussion at Incident Management Team
meeting, will have responsibility for preparing a briefing note for likely recipients of
telephone enquiries. (please refer to Proformas). Likely telephone enquiry
recipients include Reception desks; Student Association offices; Accommodation
reception points; Student Services.
Communication with students in residence of particular case
If case is in University Accommodation - Within 24 Hours
1
2
3
Notice to rooms or flats of individual students on particular site. Notice drafted
jointly between Public Health and GCU.
Bulletin board notices across Caledonian Court and Murano Street (if involved), or
on stairs of flatted sites and their laundries (if flatted development involved).
Notices should be drafted jointly between Public Health and IMT/ Marketing &
Communications.
For flats, notices should apply to the whole site rather than the particular stair.
Possible open meeting in student accommodation.
If case is in private accommodation (or an isolated University flat)
No immediate leafleting. Flatmates to be treated as close contacts. Decision about other
communications to be taken on the basis of discussion at meeting of IMT.
5.3
Communicating with parents and children of Caledonian Nursery
If the case is a child who uses the Nursery, the IMT will be allowed access to the list of all
parents and children who use the nursery. This list is supplied to Student Services at the
beginning of each semester.
Contact should be made with one of the following:
Director
Office hours:
01294 277950
Outside office hours: 01475 522242
Mobile:
07979 522216
Day Nursery Manager
Office hours:
0141 332 7654
Outside office hours: 0777 623 1122
Communication with parents should be by mail, as per student contact in point 6.1
11
6.
Resultant Fatality
6.1
In the event of a fatality, the IMT would operate under the guidance of the University’s
Policy for the fatality of a student.
7.
Reviewing and Updating the Management Procedures - Meningitis
7.1
The Meningitis Management Procedures Plan is lodged in the Convenor’s office, Britannia
Building.
In addition, each Core Team member and their back-up has a copy of the plan in their
office and at home. All of these individuals should be issued with any updated plan as
necessary.
7.2
Updating IMT contact information
The Convenor’s PA is responsible for the updating of IMT contact information (names and
numbers). Core Team members must advise the Convenor’s PA if their back-up member’s
details change.
It is the Convenor’s responsibility to ensure that Human Resources have maintained up-todate contact information for all staff at the University and that this is accessible to the IMT
with regard to staff contact about a case.
7.3
Reviewing the Procedures
The procedures contained within this plan must be reviewed annually. It is the
responsibility of the Convenor to allocate a member of the IMT to carry out this task. The
plan will also be amended or updated as necessary in the light of experience gained from
any incident.
7.4
Incident Log
An incident log must be set up and maintained for any incident of meningitis. Within this
log must be kept a copy of any correspondence sent to class contacts; copies of
information compiled for staff/reception points; a copy of any press statements and
copies of IMT meeting minutes.
Incident log file will be stored in the Convenor’s Office.
12
To Be Completed By Log Keeper At Time Of Incident
Incident Log Form
Form No.
Name of responsible person:
Date
Time Information/Decisions/Actions
Reasons for actions (if
applicable)
13