Pandemic flu inquiry hears from Health Minister
17 March 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, which is conducting a short follow-up inquiry into pandemic influenza, hears evidence from Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State for Public Health. The evidence session will take place at 3.30pm in Committee Room 4A of the House of Lords
- Video and Audio: Pandemic Influenza evidence session
- Science and Technology Committee Inquiry: Pandemic Influenza
- House of Lords Science and Technology Committee
Ms Primarolo will be asked about the UK’s preparedness in the event of a large-scale pandemic flu outbreak. Areas to be covered by the Committee will include how well the UK’s transport and medical infrastructure is prepared for such an outbreak and the plans that are in place to deal with the eventuality of significant numbers of key workers being taken ill or having to stay home to look after sick dependents.
The Committee will also ask how far NHS schemes such as the Flu Line phone service have been developed, how intensive care facilities will be deployed given the likelihood of a scarcity and what training frontline medical staff have received in order to be able to cope with a pandemic situation.