HL Deb 07 January 2003 vol 642 cc193-4WA
Lord Clement-Jones

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What support the Public Health Laboratory Service provided during the recent legionella outbreak in Barrow-in-Furness. [HL542]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The main contribution of the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) was in processing environmental specimens (water) and in the typification of the patient-derived legionella specimens for matching to the environmental evidence. It supplied the capacity for, and assisted in, testing clinical specimens both locally and nationally. It also supplied the capacity for serological follow-up and processing of environmental specimens. In addition to its laboratory expertise, the PHLS in the North-West contributed the expertise of two consultants who between them have wide experience in the management of Legionnaires' Disease outbreaks. Their contributions to the investigation of the outbreak were particularly important in the areas of epidemiological analysis, environmental reviews, forensic evidence collection and management.

We are still evaluating the many lessons that are to be learned from this outbreak. It was a large outbreak and was resolved only by the active participation of many agencies including the PHLS, NHS trusts, the Cumbria and Lancashire Health Protection Unit, the Health and Safety Executive, the local authority environmental health department, and the Cumbria police. Very good co-operation existed between all partners throughout the investigation, which was an essential feature of the successful management of this outbreak.