L24 & 25: Who owns disease and contingency planning

define disease

A pathological condition of a part, organ or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, environmental stress, and characterised by an identifiable group of symptoms

Define health

A state of physical and psychological well-being that allows the organism to function normally (express its genetic potential for productivity and reproductive performance)

what are some drivers for change for animal health and welfare

• FMD in 2001

• GB Animal Health and Welfare Strategy in 2004

• Animal Welfare Act 2006

• Devolved powers and devolved budgets (Wales and Scotland)

• Financial climate

• Responsibility and cost sharing agenda

• Surveillance 2014 review

• Climate change, nature & biodiversity - role of livestock farming

• EU Exit

• Consumer expectations and ethics

• Food safety concerns

• COVID-19

Who are responsible for retaining the 5 freedoms

• Owner/keeper

• vet

• industry

• Government

• Public

• consumer

• retailers

• special interest groups

• media

What are economic diseases

• Main impact on the farmer/keeper

• Affects productivity and performance

• Could affect welfare

• Could affect food quality and/or availability

• Increases production costs

• May or may not affect neighbouring populations

• Could have an environmental impact

• Drive antibiotic use – AMR risk?

what are the challenges with economic diseases

• Agreeing priorities, thinking strategically, maximising synergies

• At what level to apply control measures – continental, national, regional, local, farm?

• Local impact – health status of neighbouring flocks and herds

• Rural Development post EU – we make our own decisions, where does animal health and welfare fit in?

• New and re-emerging diseases e.g. Schmallenberg Virus, Seneca Virus A

• Productivity to enable global competition

Why do we have public interest (notifiable) diseases

• Impact beyond farmer/keeper – on wider sector

• Affects productivity

• Risk to public health

• Could affect welfare

• Could affect food quality and/or availability

• Increases costs (treatment, lower performance)

• Could affect the environment

• Statutory legislative framework

What is the criteria for classing a disease as notifiable

• Public health

• Welfare

• Public interest (food security)

• Economic

• Environment/biodiversity

What are some questions to consider if a disease is notifiable for economic

• Is it infectious?

• What species are affected?

• Are there diagnostic tests / standards?

• Is it a zoonosis?

• How does it spread?

• Does it seriously compromise animal welfare?

• Is it of economic significance – to the farmer/owner? To the nation?

• Does it affect food security?

• Does it affect international trade/animal movements?

• Does it affect the environment?

• Is it a new disease?

What are the risk factors for keeping a disease out through biosecurity

• Location

• Incoming livestock

• Visitors

• Vehicles

• Feed, bedding

• Wildlife

• Environment

What should be considered in the biosecurity policy

• Location

• Farm design

• Contiguous herds/flocks

• Replacement livestock - sourcing

• Intake protocol – quarantine

• Hygiene / C&D

• Feed, bedding, water

• Fallen stock

• Vehicles

• Visitors

• Wildlife protection

What are the objectives for infectious disease control for avian influenza

• Protect public health

• Protect welfare of poultry and other captive birds

• Minimise the number of birds to be culled

• Minimise the impact on trade

• Cause least possible disruption to the wider economy

• Minimise damage to the natural environment

• Minimise the burden to the taxpayer and the public

• Achieve disease free status as quickly as possible

How is disease free status maintained

• Things APHA do to reduce the risk of notifiable diseases

  • We do not allow imports from infected areas or countries (either temporarily or permanently)

  • we require pre-export tests and or isolation

  • We carry out post import documentary, identify and physical checks

  • Where deemed necessary we require post import isolation or quarantine

  • We develop trusting relationships with trading partners, and support international co-operation

What is the animal health and welfare strategy for great Britain

• Published in 2004 after 2001 FMD

• Anderson Report: the tax payer could never again bear the full cost of such an epizootic

• 10 year plan of continuing and lasting improvement in standards of health and welfare of all animals kept for food, sport, work and companionship

• in wales: animal health framework since 2014

What are the key principles for the animal health and welfare strategy for great Britain

• Partnership approach

• Recognising and accepting roles & responsibilities

• Prevention better than cure

• Understanding cost/benefit of raised standards

• Effective enforcement

What are the strategic outcomes of the animal health and welfare framework

• Wales has healthy productive animals

• animals in wales have good QOL

• People have trust and confidence in the way food is produced and the way public health is protected

• Wales has a thriving rural economy

• Wales has a high quality environment

What are the key principles of Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework

• Promoting the benefits of animal health and welfare according to the mantra prevention is better than cure

• understanding and accepting roles and responsibilities

• Working in partnership

• Ensuring a clearer understanding of costs and benefits

• Delivering and enforcing standards effectively

What is a contingency plan

• Sets out Government’s response to a notifiable disease emergency

• Systems, procedures and lines of communication for those involved in an animal disease outbreak

• For stakeholders to understand Government’s response

• For operational partners to understand how their work fits into the big picture

How does contingency ensure a state of preparedness for an incursion of exotic notifiable disease through:

• Horizon scanning

• Planning - GB and national plans reviewed and published annually

• Practice/exercises (legal requirement)

• Learning through experience

What are some current exotic disease threats

• Foot and Mouth Disease – Turkey, Middle East, North Africa

• Peste de Petits Ruminants – Romania, Greece, Turkey

• Lumpy Skin Disease – North Africa

• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza – Europe, USA, Asia

• African Swine Fever – Eastern EU Member States

• Bluetongue – GB, North & mid Europe (BTV-3) / France BTV-8 & BTV-4

• Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease – France, Spain, Portugal (EHDV-8)

• West Nile Virus – Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Italy

What are local and national exercises

• Local Exercises: each APHA Office conducts at least one local full-scale exercise every two years

• National Exercises: FMD contingency plans twice within a 5-year period

  • e.g. Exercise London Plane, October 2023 (simulated FMD & HPAI outbreak)

What are the objectives of emergency response in contingency planning

• To eradicate disease and regain disease free status

• To protect public health and safety

• Safeguard the health and safety of those directly involved in controlling the outbreak

• To minimise the burden on the taxpayer and public, as well as the economic impact of the outbreak on the industry

Who are the key players in an emergency response in contingency planning

• Government (all 4 UK Administrations)

• Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)

• Other operational partners e.g. Local Authorities, Public Health, Food Standards Agency, police, army, Environment Agency, RSPCA

• Experts/specialists e.g. RSPB, wildlife groups

• Stakeholders – farming unions, vets, auctioneers

• Also:

• Other affected groups e.g. tourism, wildlife, sport, consumers

• Media

Who has strategic, tactical and operational control in an emergency response

Strategic	COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Room) (Defra, DAs, other Uk Government Departments, international partners, other response organisations)	Cross government decision making Co-ordination
Tactical	NDCC (National Disease Control Centre) Brings together policy functions and operational functions across administrations (Wales – Emergency Control Centre)	Sets overall disease control objectives Develops, determines and interprets policy within wider legislative and strategic framework
Operational	LDCC (Local Disease Control Centre) Regional field level	Co-ordinates and implements the disease control operation at the local level

What happens in the animal disease emergency