Plans have been published that outline how future outbreaks of COVID-19 will be managed in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The Government announced in May that top tier local authorities will lead new Local Outbreak Control Plans which give powers to local public heath leaders to manage the risk of potential future outbreaks of the disease with some additional focus on high risk groups such as vulnerable elderly people and people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.
The plans will see Directors of Public health lead and manage strategies to reduce and suppress outbreaks of COVID-19 infection across the local area with a focus on using the very latest data to make decisions about how any outbreaks of the disease should be managed including deployment of local testing and advice on how the virus should best be contained.
Nottingham City Council is leading the plan in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council, local NHS organisations, Public Health England, the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System and the Nottinghamshire Local Resilience Forum.
The Nottinghamshire Local Outbreak Plan sets out how local government works with the NHS Test and Trace service, so that the county is prepared to contain the virus wherever and if-ever it occurs. The plan outlines how lives will be protected using the emergency response systems in partnership with Public Health England, the NHS, the voluntary sector and the wider community.
The plans build on existing health protection roles and responsibilities as well as the specific work councils have been undertaking to stop the spread of COVID-19.
The Local Outbreak Control Plans in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will be led by a joint Health Protection Board comprising the two Directors of Public Health with oversight by two separate member led engagement boards make up of elected councillors of the respective authorities.
The Nottingham City Local Outbreak Control Plan has been submitted to Government and is published here.
