Councillors and committees

Issue - meetings

COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK CONTROL PLAN UPDATE

Meeting: 21/04/2022 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 17)

17 SURREY COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK MANAGEMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 532 KB

The Director of Public Health (DPH) has a statutory duty to work with system partners to develop and ensure delivery of the COVID-19 Local Outbreak Management Plan (LOMP). The LOMP outlines how Surrey County Council (SCC) and system partners continue to work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19, manage outbreaks and support and protect residents. In Surrey, delivery of the LOMP commenced at the beginning of July 2020. This report details recent progress on the delivery of the plan including key outcomes, challenges and next steps.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

 

Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health, Surrey County Council

Lorna Hart - Covid Vaccination Programme Director, Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System

Rheanna Mitchell - Covid-19 Testing Programme Lead, Surrey County Council

Lisa Andrews - Public Health Principal,Surrey County Council

Negin Sarafraz-Shekary - Public Health Principal, Surrey County Council

Yazmin Castillo Munoz de Hodgson - Project Support Officer - Public Health - Community Champions, Surrey County Council

 

Key points raised in the discussion:

 

1.    Before moving to the content of the item, the Director of Public Health (SCC) noted that the Public Health team (SCC) could not have done its job without the excellent support from the Communications team (SCC) and communication colleagues in health. She noted that lessons learnt would be taken away and would inform other areas of public health work going forward.

 

National Update: Living with COVID-19

 

2.    The Director of Public Health (SCC) noted that:

·         Since the last Board meeting the Government’s Living with COVID-19 plan was published on 21 February 2022 and the updated guidance - as opposed to legislation - was published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on 1 April 2022.

·         The Living with COVID-19 guidance focused on protecting those most at risk and included advice for those with symptoms of respiratory infections including Covid-19, a positive Covid-19 test and their contacts, and for everyone on safer behaviours.

·         The plethora of high-level guidance could be accessed through the website links, provided for different audiences including for everyone, businesses, those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, those with weakened immune systems, childcare and education settings, and adult social care settings; and to be mindful that the guidance was regularly updated.

·         The NHS had produced the guidance for healthcare settings and testing for staff and patients.

·         There was also guidance around prisons, the NHS COVID Pass and around visa applicants.

·         Updated guidance was not yet published concerning those who are homeless, and the providers of accommodation for asylum seekers.

·         The Living with COVID-19 guidance for everyone remained the same in terms of the behaviours to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections such as: letting fresh air in, washing hands and wearing a face covering in crowded spaces and getting vaccinated.

·         Continuing to promote the Evergreen offer would be vital as 15% of Surrey’s over 25 year olds had not had their first Covid-19 vaccine.

·         The Living with COVID-19 guidance for everyone included nine additional symptoms of Covid-19 that had emerged from evidence, in addition to the three main symptoms where testing had been required.

 

Gavin Stephens arrived at 2.33 pm.

·         As the focus was on the mix of respiratory illnesses including Covid-19 and as testing for Covid-19 was no longer widespread, people would not know for certain whether they have Covid-19; the broad list of symptoms were common to other respiratory illnesses and the guidance highlighted that those with any symptoms of a respiratory illness such as a high temperature should try to stay at home until the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17


Meeting: 17/02/2022 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 8)

8 SURREY COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK MANAGEMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 695 KB

This report details recent progress on the delivery of Surrey’s Local Outbreak Management Planincluding key outcomes, challenges and next steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

 

Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health, Surrey County Council

Lorna Hart - Covid Vaccination Programme Director, Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Service

Fiona Harris - Public Health Consultant, Surrey County Council

Caroline Chapman - Senior Public Health Contact Tracing Lead, Surrey County Council

Adam Letts - Public Health Lead, Surrey County Council

Negin Sarafraz-Shekary - Public Health Principal, Surrey County Council

Yazmin Castillo Munoz de Hodgson - Project Support Officer - Public Health - Community Champions, Surrey County Council

 

Key points raised in the discussion:

 

National Update

 

1.    The Director of Public Health (SCC) noted:

 

·         that since the last Board meeting on 19 November 2021 there had been changes nationally, regionally and locally. The COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 which set out Plan A and Plan B had been in place since 14 September 2021, Omicron was named as a new VoC on 26 November 2021 and was 5.4 times more transmissible than Delta, Surrey’s rates increased rapidly, the country moved from Plan A to Plan B on 8 December 2021 and with declining rates post-Christmas the country moved back to Plan A on 19 January 2022.

·         the return to Plan A on 19 January 2022: saw the advice to work from home end and people returning to the office should follow the Working Safely guidance, on 20 January 2022: advice on face coverings for pupils and staff in classrooms ended, Local Directors of Public Health could still recommend face coverings in communal areas in education settings within their area, on 27 January 2022: face coverings were no longer legally required in any setting, people should consider wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, the NHS COVID Pass was no longer mandatory for entry into venues/events.

·         key guidance changes to testing on 11 January 2022 was that: people no longer require a confirmatory PCR test following a positive LFD test result.

·         key guidance changes to self-isolation on 17 January 2022 was that: people with COVID-19 can end self-isolation after five full days, as long as they have a negative LFD test result on day five and day six and do not have a high temperature (Test to Release approach) - previously the guidance was for ten full days.

·         key guidance changes to international travel on 11 February 2022 was that: people who were fully vaccinated no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after they arrive in the UK; and people who are not fully vaccinated need to take a pre-departure test. After they arrive, they need to take a PCR test on or before day two, but only need to quarantine if it is positive. They still need to complete a passenger locator form.

·         key guidance changes to vaccination on 16 February 2022 was that: the Government announced that all children aged five to eleven years in England would be offered a low-dose COVID-19 vaccine following updated advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

·         the plans  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8


Meeting: 19/11/2021 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 39)

39 SURREY COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK MANAGEMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 555 KB

The report details progress on Surrey’s Local Outbreak Management Plan including key outcomes and milestones to date, challenges and next steps going forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health, Surrey County Council

Dr Charlotte Keeble - Covid Vaccination Programme Director, Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System

Jane Lovatt - External Testing Cell Lead, Surrey Heartlands Clinical Commissioning Group and Surrey County Council

Naomi Grieve - Test and Trace Manager, Surrey County Council

Adam Letts - Public Health Lead, Surrey County Council

Alison Mason - Senior Public Health Lead, Surrey County Council

Rebecca Pritchard - Chief Executive Officer, Surrey Care Association

Yazmin Castillo Munoz de Hodgson - Project Support Officer, Surrey County Council

 

Key points raised in the discussion:

National and Local Update: Covid-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan / LOMP

 

1.      The Director of Public Health (SCC) noted:

·         since the LOEB last met the COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 was published in mid-September and was the overarching national policy consisting of Plan A and Plan B, and signalled a shift coming out of lockdown.

·         Plan A: is the current national policy which outlined a comprehensive approach consisting of five areas to manage Covid-19 over autumn and winter 2021/22 through:

-       ‘building our defences through pharmaceutical interventions’ - such as vaccines;

-       identifying and isolating positive cases to limit transmission’ - through testing;

-       ‘supporting the NHS and social care’ - looking at long COVID, noting a piece of work in Surrey Heartlands;

-       ‘advising people on how to protect themselves and other’ - through communications and guidance;

-       ‘pursuing an international approach’ - managing risks around international travel and working together to help vaccinate the world.

·         within Plan A, a key part was Covid-19 safer behaviours and actions - it was vital for Surrey to continue to be creative with communications.

·         Plan B: was the contingency to be enacted if the NHS comes under unsustainable pressure - there were currently no thresholds to trigger the move to Plan B such as around the number of hospital admissions or deaths; and like Plan A, Plan B was to be enacted nationally, there was no indication of a return to enacting a response at a local or regional level.

·         Plan B would be a shift and the four key areas would be:

-       ‘face coverings compulsory in some settings’;

-       ‘powers to introduce vaccine passports’;

-       ‘encourage people to work from home’;

-       ‘communicating the need for caution’.

·         the Covid-19 Contain Framework should be read in the context of the COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021, the Framework sets out the key responsibilities about preventing, managing and containing outbreaks.

·         that every upper tier local authority was required to have a Local Outbreak Management Plan (LOMP), it was constantly updated to reflect the Plan and Framework.

·         Surrey was aiming to publish version 15 by 10 December 2021 following approval by the Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Board (EPRR) and circulation to the LOEB; version 15 of the LOMP sought to increase its longevity and take a business as usual approach, so it would look different to previous iterations. 

 

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme

2.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39


Meeting: 02/09/2021 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 29)

29 SURREY COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK MANAGEMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 715 KB

The report details progress on Surrey’s Local Outbreak Management Plan including key outcomes and milestones to date, challenges and next steps going forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health (SCC)

Caroline Chapman - Senior Public Health Contact Tracing Lead (SCC)

Charlotte Keeble - Covid Vaccination Programme Director, Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System (ICS)

Alison Mason - Senior Public Health Lead (SCC)

Lisa Harvey-Vince - Senior Public Health Lead (SCC)

Lisa Andrews - Public Health Principal (SCC)

Clare Curran - Cabinet Member for Children and Families (SCC)

Sinead Mooney - LOEB Chairman and Cabinet Member for Adults (SCC)

Gavin Stephens - Chief Constable of Surrey Police

 

Key points raised in the discussion:

 

National update - Roadmap out of national lockdown for England 

 

1.    The Director of Public Health (SCC) noted:

·         the publication of the Covid-19 Response: Summer 2021 plan on 5 July which outlined Step 4 of the roadmap out of national lockdown for England which began on 19 July.

·         Step 4 was a fundamental shift concerning how people protected themselves alongside the targeted interventions to reduce risk. 

·         the Surrey Local Outbreak Management Plan mirrored the key bullet points within Step 4, focussing on delivering the vaccination programme, enabling the public to make informed decisions through guidance - communications was key - rather than through legislation, managing the risks at the border and retaining contingency measures to respond to unexpected events - such as the increase in cases in the south west.

·         the updated Covid-19 Contain Framework: a guide for local decision makers on 5 August, detailing how local authorities could act and what powers they had, and outlined the key protections that remained in place: symptomatic testing and targeted asymptomatic testing in education and high-risk workplaces, self-isolation remained a legal requirement for those who tested positive, as of 16 August fully vaccinated adults and those under 18 years identified as a close contact of a positive case no longer needed to self-isolate - a PCR test was recommended - and rules for travel to England such as quarantine depending on countries on the amber or red list.

·         in place of legislation Step 4 set out cautious guidance both for individuals and for businesses in the community; key was a gradual and safe return to the workplace, the wearing of face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport, letting fresh air in, minimising the number and proximity of social contacts, encouraging businesses at large events such as festivals to use the NHS Covid Pass particularly in high-risk settings.

 

Local update - Local Outbreak Management Plan

 

2.   The Director of Public Health (SCC) noted:

·         that Surrey’s Local Outbreak Management (formerly Control) Plan was re-published to reflect the changes from Step 4 of the roadmap and the revised Contain Framework.

·         Surrey’s Covid Management Group had ceased, replaced by the Surrey Heartlands ICS Resilience and Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Board (EPRR) from September, a Managing Director from NHS Frimley CCG sat on the Board and the terms of reference would be reviewed including the relationship with the LOEB and ensuring representative membership.

·         following the first meeting of the EPRR Board next week, she  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29


Meeting: 17/06/2021 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 21)

21 COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK CONTROL PLAN UPDATE AND UPDATED TERMS OF REFERENCE pdf icon PDF 753 KB

The report details progress on Surrey’s Local Outbreak Control Plan including key outcomes and milestones to date, challenges and next steps going forward.

 

The Board’s updated Terms of Reference are also provided.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

 

Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health (SCC)

Caroline Chapman - Senior Public Health Contact Tracing Lead (SCC)

Jack Healy - Public Health Lead (SCC)

Gail Hughes - Public Health Lead, Programme Manager – COVID-19 (SCC)

Gavin Stephens - Chief Constable of Surrey Police

Sinead Mooney - LOEB Chairman; Cabinet Member for Adults (SCC)

Rebecca (Bex) Pritchard - Chief Executive Officer of Surrey Care Association

Clare Curran - Cabinet Member for Children and Families (SCC)

 

Key points raised in the discussion:

 

1.      The Chairman referred to the updated Terms of Reference, noting the additions to the Board membership going forward of the proposed Cabinet Member for Health (SCC) and the Chief Executive Officer of Surrey Care Association.

2.      The Director of Public Health (SCC) introduced the report and provided updates on:

·         The National Easing of Restrictions in England:

-       noted the delayed move to Step 4 of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown to 19 July 2021.

-       on 21 June 2021 Step 3 restrictions would remain apart from rules in relation to wedding and civil partnership ceremonies, and celebrations, funerals and commemorative events following a death, care home visits and domestic residential visits for children.

-       providers of those services were being supported in those settings with regards to those changes.

·         Local Outbreak Control Plan:

-       which had been republished recently and met the national accessibility requirements.

-       a Sector Led Improvement peer review had been undertaken with Buckinghamshire and East Sussex, with a productive session on 19 May followed by the final report after key amendments were made in light of feedback, such as greater transparency around testing for high risk groups and the inclusion of coincidence and common exposure reports - the peer review was circulated to the Board on 28 May.

-       in response to the Chairman’s comment requesting an update on an outstanding action from April's Board around the outcome of the Sector Led Improvement peer review, the Director of Public Health (SCC) reiterated the point above and asked that the peer review be re-circulated to the Board members.

·           Variants of Concern (VOC) (national):

-       that the Delta variant had recently become the dominant variant in the United Kingdom; it was estimated to be between 40 and 80% more transmissible than the Alpha variant driving the rapid increase in case numbers.

-       early data demonstrated a slight increase in the risk of hospitalisation, but the evidence continued to emerge - that increase was not yet seen in Surrey - and because of the vaccination programme most cases were in young people, which did not always manifest itself in hospitalisations; however it impacted primary care, education and the economy.

-       information on VOC and Variants Under Investigation (VUI) was published in the weekly coronavirus full summary report.

-       that the surge testing due to begin on Friday in Reigate and Banstead was as a result of a request as Surrey was highlighted as a possible Enhanced Response Area (ERA), having received the Enhanced Support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21


Meeting: 15/04/2021 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 15)

15 COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK CONTROL PLAN UPDATE pdf icon PDF 622 KB

The report details progress on Surrey’s Local Outbreak Control Plan including key outcomes and milestones to date, challenges and next steps going forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

 

Dr Rachel Gill - Public Health Consultant (SCC)

Caroline Chapman - Senior Public Health Contact Tracing Lead (SCC)

Jack Healy - Public Health Lead (SCC)

Michael Stringer - External & Stakeholder Communications Manager (SCC)

Dr Charlotte Keeble - COVID 19 Vaccination Programme Director, Surrey Heartlands ICS

Dr Naheed Rana - Public Health Consultant (SCC)

Helena O’Neill - Programme Manager - Community Champions (COVID-19) (SCC)
Dr Negin Sarafraz-Shekary - Public Health Principal (SCC)
Gavin Stephens - Chief Constable of Surrey Police

Mrs Sinead Mooney - LOEB Chairman; Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Domestic Abuse (SCC)

Mrs Mary Lewis - Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families (SCC)

 

Key points raised in the discussion:

1.   The Public Health Consultant (SCC) provided an update on the national context noting:

·         That two key guidance documents had been published by the Government, the first being the ‘Covid-19 Response - Spring 2021’ in February setting out the roadmap out lockdown in England based on four steps spaced five weeks apart with indicative dates: Step 1: 8 and 29 March, Step 2: 12 April, Step 3: 17 May, Step 4: 21 June.

·         Progression through the four steps for the easing of restrictions was based on the below tests:

-       The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully

-       Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.

-       Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.

-       Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.

·      The second guidance document was the ‘COVID-19 contain framework: a guide for local decision-makers’ which was updated in March and set out how local system partners should continue to work together responding to Covid-19.

2.   The Public Health Consultant (SCC) explained that the updated Surrey Local Outbreak Control Plan (LOCP) had been republished on Surrey County Council’s website to reflect the changes in national guidance. The LOCP had been submitted to the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 March and feedback was awaited. As part of the assurance process there would be a planned peer review with Buckinghamshire Council and East Sussex County Council.

 

 David Munro left the meeting at 2.38 pm

 

3.   The Chairman welcomed the peer review and queried why Buckinghamshire Council and East Sussex County Council were being consulted, whether it was a national recommendation or local initiative, and what the outcomes might be.

-       In response, the Public Health Consultant (SCC) noted that the peer review process was encouraged nationally. The three local authorities had been working together since the initial LOCP was published and valued the process to ensure plans were robust and that there was a joined-up approach across the South East.

-       The Chairman asked for the Board to be updated on the feedback from the peer review process.

4.    The Senior Public Health Contact Tracing Lead (SCC) provided an update on local contact tracing noting:

·         the hot spot pilot  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15


Meeting: 18/02/2021 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 7)

7 COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK CONTROL PLAN UPDATE pdf icon PDF 614 KB

The report details progress on Surrey’s Local Outbreak Control Plan including key outcomes and milestones to date, challenges and next steps going forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health (SCC)

Caroline Chapman - Senior Public Health Contact Tracing Lead (SCC)

Martyn Munro - Senior Public Health Lead (SCC)

Jack Healy - Public Health Lead (SCC)

NeginSarafraz-Shekary - Public Health Principal (SCC)

Naheed Rana - Public Health Consultant (SCC)

Jane Chalmers - COVID Director, Surrey Heartlands

Gavin Stephens - Chief Constable of Surrey Police

Liz Uliasz - Deputy Director - Adult Social Care (SCC)

Patricia Denney - Director - Quality and Performance for Children, Families and Learning (SCC)

Mary Lewis - Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families (SCC)

Key points raised in the discussion:

1.      The Director of Public Health (SCC) provided an update on the national context, noting that:

·         There would be a big announcement by Government on 22 February concerning the lockdown exit roadmap and gradual easing of restrictions such as more pupils being on site at schools.

·         As a result of the roadmap, regional conveners had noted that there was an expectation that there would be major revisions to the LOCP with an update to the LOCP needed by the end of March, Surrey’s LOCP published last summer had been updated approximately every eight weeks depending on national changes.

·         It was announced on 16 February that an extra 1.7 million people in England would join the 2.3 million on the shielding list those ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’. The change was as a result of new modelling published in the British Medical Journal, the new assessment tool took into account multiple risk factors of catching Covid-19 and becoming gravely ill.

·         The national guidance on shielding had not changed, due to be republished on 21 February it would instead be extended to 31 March, individuals added to the list would be notified and it meant that an extra 820,000 adults aged 19-69 would be prioritised for a vaccination.

2.    The Senior Public Health Contact Tracing Lead (SCC) provided an update on local contact tracing, noting:

·           The journey that a case took through the system from day zero when it arrived in which there was eight hours for the individual with a positive case to complete their details online. There was then twenty-four hours for the national Test and Trace system to complete the contact tracing. By day three, if contract tracing by the national system was unsuccessful the cases would be passed to the local system and in Surrey there was five days of local contact tracing up to day seven the end of the journey. 

·           That the advantages of local contract tracing were that:

-     the local contact tracers themselves were Surrey residents who understood the challenges facing fellow residents.

-     there was an option to ring back or reply by email to the local contact tracers increasing the success rate particularly if those contacted were ill during the initial contact.

-     the advice and welfare support offered by the local contact tracers was through the Customer Services team (SCC) who had access to a range of different  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7


Meeting: 20/11/2020 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 24)

24 COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK CONTROL PLAN UPDATE pdf icon PDF 298 KB

The report details progress on Surrey’s Local Outbreak Control (LOC) Plan which was published on 30 June 2020, including key outcomes and milestones to date, challenges and next steps going forward.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

 

Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health (SCC)

Dr Rachel Gill - Public Health Consultant (SCC)

Borough Councillor Maureen Attewell - Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Community Wellbeing and Housing, Spelthorne Borough Council
Deborah Ashman - Joint Group Head of Community Wellbeing, Spelthorne Borough Council
Adam Letts - Public Health Lead - Public Health Improvement (SCC)
Jess Lira - Resilience Manager, Applied Resilience Limited

Avril Mayhew - Area Director East Surrey - Adult Social Care (SCC)

 

Key points raised in the discussion:

 

Local Contact Tracing Partnerships

 

1.    The Director of Public Health (SCC) explained that since 28 May 2020 anyone in England who received a positive Covid-19 test was automatically placed into the national contact tracing system and they and their contacts would be asked to self-isolate.

2.    She discussed that in order to be effective the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) recommended that 80% of positive cases must be reached by the contact tracers, that was not the case nationally, although Surrey’s contact completion rate was around 80%.

3.    She noted that as a result of the low completion rate, some areas such as Blackburn with Darwen set up local tracing partnerships and there was an expectation for all areas to establish one to supplement national contact tracing. As a result, a local contact tracing partnership was to be established in Surrey to contact the remaining 20% of contacts not contacted after the locally agreed timescale of twenty-four hours.

4.    She highlighted that the programme would be launched first for those boroughs and districts in Surrey that bordered London or had higher rates first, phase one was to go live on 26 November 2020 with the whole of Surrey to follow in phase two.

5.    She clarified that the Surrey Local Contract Tracing service would be delivered by Surrey County Council’s Customer Services team and Community Helpline staff. Staff would receive training and the Public Health team (SCC) would provide support due to the complexity of cases.

6.    She explained that it would be a phone-based service in which a text or phone call from GOV.UK Notify would alert individuals who had received a positive test to expect a call from a local geographical number or voicemail message if unavailable. When contact was made there would be a set questionnaire to establish that individual’s contacts and it was estimated to take one hour to complete.

7.    The Director of Public Health (SCC) noted that upon advice from established local contact tracing partnerships, welfare support and advice on financial assistance would be offered and that there was a potential to run the programme through door-knocking in the future.

8.    She emphasised that residents must continue to engage with the national contact tracing service and soft communications would be launched on local contact tracing via a press release, information on the programme including the phone number and FAQs would be on Surrey County Council’s website.

9.    The Director of Public Health (SCC) concluded that there were Data Sharing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24


Meeting: 25/09/2020 - Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board (Item 16)

16 COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK CONTROL PLAN UPDATE pdf icon PDF 160 KB

The report details progress on Surrey’s Local Outbreak Control (LOC) Plan which was published on 30 June 2020, including key outcomes and milestones to date, challenges and next steps going forward.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Witnesses:

 

Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health (SCC)

Jane Chalmers - COVID Director, Surrey Heartlands Clinical Commissioning Group

 

Key points raised in the discussion:

 

1.   The Director of Public Health introduced the report highlighting the new national restrictions announced by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 22 September 2020, noting the ever-changing situation. Although large announcements were made nationally on a frequent basis, there were often other policy changes weekly and it was the job of the Public Health team to keep on top of the guidance and incorporate it into Surrey’s Local Outbreak Control Plan (LOCP) - updated at least fortnightly.

2.   She explained that a key part of the LOCP informed by the data and intelligence was the Escalation Framework based on a RAG rating (red, amber and green). At one end was outbreak prevention and containment - light green - which was being done all the time and was based on test positivity and cases per 100,000, as well as raised local alertness - dark green - and in the middle when cases started to escalate and that tipped over to raised local concern - amber. At the other end the red category of national oversight was splits into three sub-levels: area of concern such as Spelthorne, area receiving enhanced support and an area requiring intervention.

·      The Escalation Framework was based on national COVID-19 Contain Framework and detailed the triggers, how and who to notify, what the communications were, what the role of the SLRF was, what do when there was an outbreak, the deployment of testing across different settings and enforcement. 

3.    The Director of Public Health noted that Spelthorne was put on the national COVID-19 watchlist on 18 September as an area of concern and an announcement was due at 11am today on whether it remained, as the rates were slowly decreasing. She would keep the Board updated of Spelthorne’s status.

·         She thanked Board members for their support and colleagues in primary care and GPs who within a number of hours texted all their patients in Spelthorne to alert them to the borough as an area of concern. She also noted the concentrated effort across Spelthorne from the environmental health team who worked closely with businesses - particularly in hospitality - as well as the work of the IMT through partnerships with schools, grassroots sport and children’s sporting groups, and reaching out to public health teams in the surrounding area.

4.      Regarding local legal powers, she explained that:

·         There was now a process in which the Chief Executive and the Director of Public Health at Surrey County Council could issue a direction under the new Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No.3) Regulation 2020; which extended the powers of Local Authorities who could close individual premises, public outdoor spaces, and prevent specific events - such as the Ocean Village Boat Show 2020 and Boats 2020 in Southampton cancelled due to being an imminent threat to public health.

·         There was a local legal Process  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16