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QSurveillance helps deliver healthy performance during Olympics
(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) QSurveillance -- a real time clinical surveillance system based on data from 3,400 GP practices -- played a crucial role in helping to safeguard public health during the London 2012 Olympics.
The not-for-profit partnership between healthcare software provider EMIS, The University of Nottingham, and ClinRisk Ltd, provided key data for The Syndromic Surveillance Report , developed by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). It analysed and interpreted real-time health information to identify potential public health threats and alert the NHS.
Dr Shaun O'Hanlon, Clinical & Development Director for EMIS, said: "Projects such as this show what a valuable tool GP practice data can be and how it can be used for real national benefit. We are very grateful to the practices who voluntarily share their information on a daily basis so that great initiatives like this can become a reality."
QSurveillance monitored the UK for outbreaks of infections such as vomiting and diarrhoea that could have had an adverse effect on mass gatherings of the public at the Games.
The report, delivered over 73 days to stakeholders including LOCOG and the Department of Health, drew together data from five key sources:
- HPA/QSurveillance -- A GP surveillance system developed between the HPA and QSurveillance
- NHS Direct 'telehealth calls'
- GP out of hours consultations
- Emergency department attendances
- NHS24 (Scotland) 'telehealth calls'
Dr Julia Hippisley-Cox, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and General Practice at the University of Nottingham and co-founder of QSurveillance said: "With such a large population influx during London 2012, ensuring that response to public health issues could be immediate and effective was essential and for that, regular, accurate data was needed.
"With access to over 3,500 GP practices across the UK, we were able to provide immediate updates 100 per cent of the time, on trends and hot spots for symptoms by analysing patient consultations. It was an honour to have been involved in such an important project for the UK."
The system was so accurate that it was able to pick up mild increases in asthma rates before the Games, and even the impact on health of mild temperature changes. No major threats were detected throughout the monitoring period.
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