Stopping Tuberculosis in England - An Action Plan from the Chief Medical Officer | National Resource for Infection Control (NRIC)

Best practice

Abstract:

The document accompanied an announcement of new measures, to tackle the rising incidence of tuberculosis in Britain, from the Chief Medical officer. The action plan provides a strong commitment to tackle the disease through a wide range of measures, concentrating on areas and groups with the greatest burden of disease and aimed at raising awareness of the disease amongst healthcare workers and the general public, early diagnosis, consistent high quality clinical care for all patients with TB and effective public health measures. It outlines facts on tuberculosis in England, the goals of the programme to successfully control TB, and the basic public health service necessary for ‘regaining the upper hand’ with actions to include: - · Better organisation of public health effort and this targeted where it is most needed · Care of people with TB orientated around helping them take their treatment consistently, over time · Laboratory processes to be refined to aid accurate diagnosis · Ensuring there is an appropriately skilled/expert workforce · Improvement of population surveillance and incorporation of modern laboratory techniques · Applying best practice to follow up of contacts of people with newly diagnosed TB · Proper re-sourcing of TB treatment and control · Gearing research to find better ways to treat and control TB · Playing a part in the international effort against the disease The action plan is produced as best practice guidance and is aimed at Chest Physicians, Infectious Diseases Physicians and Specialist TB Nurses but should also be read by public health specialist, General Practitioners and nurses working in the community. The toolkit 'Tuberculosis prevention and treatment: a toolkit for planning, commissioning and delivering high-quality services in England' (2007) has been published to asist with implementation of this action plan and to enable PCT commissioners to plan and commission high-quality TB services for their local population and monitor delivery. It can be downloaded from http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_075621

Authors:

Chief Medical Officer

Link:

https://www.tbalert.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/images_pdf_stoppingtb_actionplan.pdf

Category:

Control

Investigation

Prevention

Treatment

Expert Review

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Summary:

The document accompanied an announcement of new measures, to tackle the rising incidence of tuberculosis in Britain, from the Chief Medical officer. The plan provides a strong commitment to tackle the disease through a wide range of measures, concentrating on areas and groups with the greatest burden of disease and aimed at raising awareness of the disease amongst healthcare workers and the general public, early diagnosis, consistent high quality clinical care for all patients with TB and effective public health measures. It outlines facts on tuberculosis in England, the goals of the programme to successfully control TB, and the basic public health service necessary for ‘regaining the upper hand’ with actions to include: -· Better organisation of public health effort and this targeted where it is most needed· Care of people with TB orientated around helping them take their treatment consistently, over time· Laboratory processes to be refined to aid accurate diagnosis· Ensuring there is an appropriately skilled/expert workforce· Improvement of population surveillance and incorporation of modern laboratory techniques· Applying best practice to follow up of contacts of people with newly diagnosed TB· Proper re-sourcing of TB treatment and control · Gearing research to find better ways to treat and control TB· Playing a part in the international effort against the diseaseThe action plan is produced as best practice guidance and is aimed at Chest Physicians, Infectious Diseases Physicians and Specialist TB Nurses but should also be read by public health specialist, General Practitioners and nurses working in the community.

Questions Addressed:

The document provides best practice guidance and recommended actions to bring tuberculosis under control in England

Type of Study:

policy report

Methods Valid:

Methods Valid Detail:

The plan sets out the steps which Government, the health service and local communities need to take to reverse the rise in TB but it is not referenced and does not contain timescales for actions

Results Reliability:

This will be difficult to measure and will need to be audited to measure whether best practice is in place and the goals of reduction and ultimately elimination of TB in this country have been achieved

Problems or Biases:

‘Very light’ on facts and figures and the plan will need to be well resourced if the programme is to be actioned.

Relevant Studies:

1. Joint Tuberculosis Committee of the British Thoracic Society: Control and prevention of tuberculosis in the United Kingdom: Code of Practice 2000Thorax 2000; 55: 887-901 2. Joint Tuberculosis Committee of the British Thoracic Society: Chemotherapy and management of tuberculosis in the United Kingdom: recommendations. 1998 Thorax 1998; 53: 536-5483. Joint Tuberculosis Committee of the British Thoracic Society: Code of Practice 1994, Thorax 1994; 49: 1193-12004. International Council of Nurses. TB Guidelines for Nurses in the Care and Control of Tuberculosis and Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis. (2005) http://www.icn.ch The International Council of Nurses has launched an online Global TB Resource Centre ( https://www.icn.ch/what-we-do/projects/tbmdr-tb-project ) – which provides multiple tools for both generalist and specialist nurses treating and caring for patients with tuberculosis and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)

Keywords:

tuberculosis TB Plan infectious disease human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) bovine TB drug resistant TB public health surveillance

Reviewer Name:

Sue Wiseman

Reviewer Post:

Nurse Consultant –Infection Control, DH

Reviewer Affiliations:

Member Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens Health Protection Adviser Royal College of Nursing P/T Member Infection Control Nurses Association