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Tag: UK Health Security Agency

  • MPs warn government’s lack of preparation for potential pandemics

    MPs warn government’s lack of preparation for potential pandemics

    Ineffective personal protective equipment (PPE) cost the taxpayers billions of pounds, and stockpile planning for potential pandemics is alarmingly lacking.

    The grim warning comes from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), whose report also chastised the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for ‘absolutely astounding’ accounting flaws.

    Because to these shortcomings, the NHS Test and Trace inventory worth £3.3 billion could not be properly identified by financial records.

    The government has ‘written off’ £14.9 billion of inventory in the last two years – nearly £10 billion of this was unusable or unneeded PPE, Covid medicines and vaccines.

    The department still pays large amounts to store and dispose of the kit, and it’s estimated this will cost £319 million over the next few years.

    It’s also not possible to do a stocktake of existing PPE, the report found, as it would cost £70 million to move and open inaccessible storage containers.

    The report warns healthcare workers could be exposed to PPE shortages in future as there isn’t a clear plan for a national emergency stockpile.

    PAC chair Dame Meg Hillier said: ‘The UKHSA was set up with great fanfare in 2021, and rightly so given the significance of its role in leading protection against threats to our nation’s health.

    ‘It is completely staggering, then, that an organisation envisaged as a foundation stone of our collective security was established with a leadership hamstrung by a lack of formal governance, and financial controls so poor that billions of pounds in NHS Test and Trace inventory can no longer be properly accounted for.

    ‘It is greatly alarming that there is no clear plan from the government for an emergency stockpile of vaccines, medicines and PPE.

    ‘Three years after the start of the pandemic, the government still has no proper controls over the PPE stocks it already has.

    ‘This could leave front-line workers exposed in the future to shortages similar to those faced in 2020.

    ‘For the government not to make serious preparations for any future pandemic would be utterly inexcusable.’

    UKHSA was set up to replace Public Health England in 2021, but the committee found it had ‘financial controls so poor’ it was ‘unable to prepare auditable accounts’.

    The report also criticised the appointment of Dame Jenny Harries as its chief executive, as they say she had ‘no previous technical experience in elements of running a complex organisation’, leading to ‘inadequate scrutiny’.

    A government spokesperson said: ‘In the face of an unprecedented pandemic, we had to compete in an overheated global market to procure items to protect the public, frontline health and care workers and our NHS.

    ‘We were the first country in the world to deploy an approved Covid vaccine, with 144 million doses administered, and we have delivered over 25 billion items of PPE to the front line.

    ‘Buying vital Covid vaccines and medicines saved countless lives and kept NHS and care staff safe.’

    Dame Jenny said: ‘We have always taken our accounts and financial controls very seriously.

    ‘The UKHSA was created in unprecedented circumstances when tackling Covid was our first priority, and we inherited significant pre-existing accounts challenges.

    ‘We have already instituted strong governance arrangements in a hugely complex organisation at the earliest opportunity.

    ‘This progress means our organisation is now substantially different in terms of stability, governance and financial controls.

    ‘We are working with DHSC to ensure the robustness of our accounts is recognised both now and for the future.

    ‘Despite these inherited financial challenges, the UKHSA continues to fulfil its priority remit – to protect lives.’

  • Monkeypox is over, no longer a global emergency – WHO declares

    Monkeypox is over, no longer a global emergency – WHO declares

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that Monkeypox is no longer classified as a global public health emergency, almost a year after the threat was first raised.

    While the virus remains present and could result in future outbreaks and waves, the organization stated that the highest level of caution is no longer necessary.

    The global health body’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries to “remain vigilant”.

    It can be passed on by close contact with someone who is infected.

    What is monkeypox?

    Its official name is Mpox and it is caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the same family of viruses as smallpox, although it is much less severe.

    Initial symptoms include fever, headaches, swellings, back pain, aching muscles.

    Once the fever breaks a rash can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body, most commonly the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

    Anyone with the virus should abstain from sex while they have symptoms, to help prevent passing it on to others.

    Vaccines can protect people too.

    More than 87,000 cases and 140 deaths have been reported from 111 countries during the global outbreak, according to a WHO count.

    But almost 90% fewer cases were recorded over the last three months compared with the previous three-month period, meaning the highest level of alert is no longer required, Tedros said.

    In the UK, only 10 cases have been reported since the beginning of the year.

    The announcement comes just a week after the UN agency also declared the Covid emergency over.

    Declaring a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) signals that countries need to work together to manage a shared threat, such as a disease outbreak.

    There is now just one WHO-declared PHEIC – for poliovirus, which was declared in May 2014.

    Dr Katy Sinka, head of sexually transmitted infections at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “If you’re eligible and still need to take up the vaccine, please come forward ahead of the summer months to ensure you have maximum protection.

    “First doses of the vaccine will end on 16 June and both doses will cease at the end of July.”

  • Tick-borne virus that produces meningitis discovered in UK

    Tick-borne virus that produces meningitis discovered in UK

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a warning after discovering an uncommon tick-borne virus in numerous parts of England.

    The first domestic case of the encephalitis virus (TBEV) was discovered in a Yorkshire man who had been bitten by a tick.

    Meningitis can result from the infection TBEV, which is spread through tick bites.
    Prior to the diagnosis being verified at the UKHSA laboratory, the diagnosing physicians who were treating the patient first considered it.

    Another human case may have been discovered in Scotland’s Loch Earn region.

    The virus has also been detected in Hampshire, Dorset and Norfolk and may be present in other parts of the country.

    However, the risk to the public is low and there has only been three confirmed cases so far.

    Before 2019, human TBEV had not been domestically acquired in the UK. In 2019 and 2020, two probable cases were reported but in those cases there was no molecular isolation of the virus, so they could not be confirmed.

    Dr Helen Callaby, from UKHSA, said: ‘This study confirms the tick-borne encephalitis virus is present in parts of the UK where there are relevant tick and wildlife populations and may occasionally cause disease in humans.

    Symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV)

    • High fever
    • Headache
    • Stiff neck
    • Reduced consciousness
    • Complications from TBEV can cause meningitis and these symptoms include:
    • Severe headache
    • Stiff neck
    • Pain looking at bright lights
    • Neurological symptoms
    • Has a fit (seizure), if not known to be epileptic
    • Sudden confusion or change in behaviour
    • Weakness or loss of movement in arms and legs
    • Facial dropping, change in vision or slurred speech

    ‘Physicians should consider the possibility of tick-borne encephalitis virus when patients present with unexplained encephalitis and a history of tick exposure, even if they have not travelled outside the UK, as the clinicians did in these cases.’

    TBEV is common in many parts of the world and is usually found in western and northern Europe and northern and eastern Asia.

    Anyone who experiences symptoms or feels unwell after a tick bite should seek GP advice.

    Despite the risk to the general public being low, the UKHSA has recommended changes to testing in hospitals.

    Dr Callaby added: ‘Although the risk to the general public is very low, it is important for people to take precautions to protect themselves from tick bites, such as covering their ankles and legs, applying insect repellent and checking clothes and your body for ticks, particularly when visiting areas with long grass such as woods, moorlands and parks.’

    The European subtype of TBEV is associated with milder disease, with 20% to 30% of patients experiencing clinical disease.

    While it is assumed the UK cases are the European subtype, this has not yet been proven.

    Cases are on the rise in England, mainly due to increasing numbers of ticks. They live in undergrowth and latch on to humans when they walk through long grass.

    Vaccines provide protection but only for a limited time and there is no known cure.

    Alongside TBEV, Brits are also at risk of other infections the parasitic arachnids carry, such as Lyme’s disease.