Weekly ICU/HDU Flu Collection (UK Severe Influenza Surveillance System) Direction 2017

The objectives of the collection are to:

• Monitor and estimate the impact of influenza (both seasonal and pandemic) on the population.
• Describe the epidemiology of severe influenza (intensive care unit admissions and deaths) in time, place and person.
• Be able to rapidly identify and describe the epidemiological features of a novel influenza virus.
• Monitor the impact of the introduction of the childhood influenza vaccination programme.
• Inform evidence of community transmission of influenza and thus the recommendation to Department of Health to trigger anti-viral prescribing.
• Fulfil the requirements set out by the Chief Medical Officer's Statistical Legacy Group or the Influenza Surveillance Strategy Group and meet the recommendations made by the World Health Organization or European Centre for Disease Control for surveillance of severe influenza.

Sections 254(1) and (6), 260(2)(d), 261(3), and 304(9), (10) and (12) of the Health and Social Care Act.

Annex B of the framework agreement between the Department of Health and Public Health England instructs Public Health England (PHE) to carry out on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health certain of his statutory functions. This includes the duty under section 2A of the National Health Service Act 2006 to take such steps as the Secretary of State considers appropriate to protect the health of the public in England.

The Direction came into force on 23 October 2017.