Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service

Pandemic Flu – The Role and Contribution of the Voluntary Sector

What is a Flu Pandemic?

General Information

Pandemic flu is a type of influenza that spreads rapidly to affect most countries and regions around the world. Unlike the ‘ordinary’ flu that occurs every winter in the UK, pandemic flu can occur at any time of year. Pandemics of influenza have occurred sporadically throughout history – three times in the last hundred years – resulting in many deaths.

What is the government doing to prepare for a flu pandemic?

The government has prepared a UK wide Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan which will be put into action in the event of a pandemic. The Plan includes initiatives to improve our preparedness now, before another pandemic occurs.

NHS staff will be trained in how to manage services during a pandemic and cope with the demands that are likely to be placed on them.

The government is building up its stocks of antiviral drugs. They will be used in the most effective way to treat those most at risk of serious illness based on how the disease develops.

For further information: visit The Department of Health website for a guide from the Chief Medical Officer or contact: NHS Direct on 0845 4647 (calls charged at local rates).

What can You do to help?

There is a need to make preparation to ensure that services to our more vulnerable groups can continue in the community, the voluntary sector has a crucial role in ensuring this support happens.

ARE YOU ABLE TO HELP IN THE EVENT OF A PANDEMIC FLU OUTBREAK?

You can be:

• Part of a skills register i.e. retired nurses, doctors, vets, counsellors, pharmacists, dentists etc.,
• A volunteer driver
• Provide information and administration support at anti-viral distribution centres
• Be an ‘active’ citizen i.e. check on your neighbour, be a street champion etc

For further information about how you can help, please contact: Neath Port Talbot CVS on 01639 631246 or email info@nptcvs.org.uk

To register for any of the above please return the attached form to Neath Port Talbot CVS, Ty Margaret Thorne, 17-19 Alfred Street, Neath, SA11 1EF.

Download the registration form.

Examples of ‘Key’ Supporting Voluntary Sector Organisations

Welfare and Medical Support

• The British Red Cross (BRC) is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. They work to provide relief to people in crises and respond to emergencies in support of the emergency services and other statutory authorities. Their volunteers provide practical help and emotional support to victims. In addition, the BRC is a major provider of First Aid training.
• St John Ambulance is a First Aid, transport and care charity. It provides First Aid and medical support services, caring services in support of community needs and education, training and personal development to young people.
• WRVS provides a range of services to help people in need who might otherwise feel lonely and isolated. The WRVS gives professional support to the blue-light services and the public in emergency situations, such as floods, fires, rail disasters and evacuations. They are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Social and psychological aftercare

• The Salvation Army is not primarily an emergency disaster relief organisation. However, it frequently provides support at the point of greatest need during the emergency period of a disaster. The Salvation Army provides a range of psychological support and counselling services to the homeless, elderly and other vulnerable groups, including those affected by emergencies.
• Cruse Bereavement Care works to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. The organisation provides counselling and support. It offers information, advice, education and training services.
• Samaritans operates a 24 hours a day service to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.

Communications

• The Citizens Advice Bureau provides services to help people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free information and advice, and by influencing policymakers. Over the last 65 years, the Citizens Advice service has grown from an emergency war-time information service, and it therefore maintains an important information network for providing advice during and after emergencies.
• The Radio Amateurs’ Emergency Network (RAYNET) is the UK’s national voluntary communications service provided for the community by licensed radio amateurs. Their Emergency Planning Team carries out support within the network during emergencies.

How Voluntary & Community Sector Bodies Can Get Involved

Voluntary Sector engagement at the regional level

At the regional level, a representative of the voluntary sector forms part of the core membership of Regional Resilience Forums. The representative forms a bridge between the Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Working Party, NVASEC and the local level.

You can find your nearest Regional Resilience Forum on the UK Resilience website.

Voluntary sector engagement at the local level

The response to emergencies, in the UK, is primarily delivered at the local level. Frontline responders come together in Local Resilience Forums, to facilitate multi agency planning arrangements which meet the needs of their local community. These are established on the basis of existing police areas. The engagement of the voluntary sector in emergency preparedness will largely take place through arrangements with local statutory agencies within these local resilience areas.

A link to general information on swine flu is now available on the NHS Direct Wales website in British Sign Language. Please visit their website for more information.