National Measles incident

National Measles incident: call for immediate action

The UKHSA is calling for urgent action to stem the spread of measles particularly to localities with a low MMR uptake but there is also a need to ensure that vulnerable patients and Practice staff are protected.

UKHSA guidance on triage and testing advises that suspected measles be triaged over the phone and if the case needs to be seen that this is undertaken in a ‘side room”. PPE will be needed.

In discussions between the LMC and the Place team have agreed that to deal with an outbreak in Sefton there will be a need to establish ‘measles hubs ‘similar to the Covid Hot hubs set up during the Pandemic. PPE will have to be sourced to equip practices and the hubs. Funding to do this will have to be obtained from the C&M ICB.

In the meantime, the focus of action will be to promote vaccination amongst the population and, critically, amongst practice staff.

Practices should identify staff who are not already vaccinated and offer the vaccination. Now this would not be funded since it is deemed part of a practice’s Occupational Health responsibilities.

Those staff who decline should be deployed in a way to minimise the risk of infection from patients attending the practice with suspected measles.

It is the case that some practitioners may not have seen a case of measles and E -Courses and webinars are available to provide guidance on diagnosis and treatment. You can find the RCP learning resources here –

https://www.rcgp.org.uk/gp-frontline/winter-2023-news-measles-elearning

A useful poster guide for Practitioners has been published (attached) and practices may have already received the ‘Think Measles ‘Poster from Jennifer Johnston, Head Medicines Management (attached)

The NHS Guidance on risk control measures for health care settings is also attached to this bulletin and additional resources to help practices publicise and encourage MMR vaccination take up and patient can be found here-

Think Measles! (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Think Measles! Vaccination rates have fallen, and cases of measles are increasing in England (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Vaccination of individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation status (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Measles: the green book, chapter 21 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Pregnant? Immunisation helps to protect you and your baby from infectious diseases (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Guidance on the investigation, diagnosis and management of viral illness, or exposure to viral rash illness, in pregnancy (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Measles outbreak A4 poster for GP surgery reception (publishing.service.gov.uk)

National measles guidelines – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Measles – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Measles: information and poster for health professionals – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

NHS England » Guidance for risk assessment and infection prevention and control measures for measles in healthcare settings