London Grid for Learning (LGfL) - Statement of Readiness for a Pandemic December 2009

Transcription

1 London Grid for Learning (LGfL) - Statement of Readiness for a Pandemic December 2009 This statement of readiness is intended for Local Authorities, schools and suppliers in the London region who participate in any LGfL-supplied service. The LGfL has undertaken the following high-level steps to ensure its readiness for a pandemic: reviewed the end to end LGfL supply chain to schools and learners and put remedial actions in place; these include resilient links and more explicit statements on actions; identified the core services and their levels of availability which those suppliers must maintain throughout the pandemic; allied its actions to both the World Health Organisation Phases, UK Alerts and specific incidents thought to be probable throughout the course of any pandemic; put in place arrangements should its own staff, or their dependents, be affected by the pandemic; put in place a number of communication channels via: o o o pandemic@lgfl.org.uk created a communications plan for its suppliers and service users which will change based on key trigger events such as WHO and UK levels changing; created an emergency LGFL School Closure Programme curriculum for the first few weeks of a pandemic notified at WHO Phase 6; created a panel of teachers who will design and implement 2 nd, and subsequent, weeks worth emergency curriculum materials; and, agreed with the broadcasting authorities a programme of integration with their responses. The following tables shows in more detail the strategy and steps which the LGfL will implement at the appropriate trigger events: London Grid for Learning Trust is a consortium of the London Local Authorities A company limited by guarantee registered in England no Reg charity no CI Tower St Georges Square New Malden KT3 4TE tel fax office@lgfl.org.uk web

2 LGfL Strategy The overall strategy of the LGfL, its supplier chain and their 3 rd -party suppliers to a pandemic shall be linked, at a high level, to the WHO Phases and UK Alert levels: WHO Organisation-wide action Phase The key focus is on planning & preparedness. Revise and remediate documents and processes in the light of the London Flu Plan and national guideline updates, including: Establish the Pandemic Flu Lead who will remain aware of Phase and Alert progression and information developments. Monitor and evaluate risks and impacts for areas of responsibility. Identify and mitigate where possible critical vulnerabilities. Undertake business continuity and resilience planning in the context of a pandemic flu scenario. Ensure that planning is an integrated activity and that all plans are regularly maintained and exercised. Communicate plans with employees, contractors, and affiliated organisations. Participate in planning groups to discuss, plan and share best practice. Prepare plans to assist LAs in discharging their legal duty to provide education "at school or otherwise" for children who for any reason "may not for any period receive suitable education unless such arrangements are made for them". LAs must have plans in place to provide a reasonable level of education for all children in their area if pupils are unable to attend schools during a pandemic flu scenario. Link at a sub-regional level to LRFs where invited. Link at a local level to IPC (Planning) where invited. Provision of business continuity advice and assistance to LAs and the business supply chain. Ensure that business continuity arrangements for managing the demands of the excess death projections are understood by local partners and are factored in to local plans. Ensure that the plans include identifying vulnerable people within the served community and plans put in place to address their needs. Take note of any new guidance, review plans regularly, ensure contact lists are kept up to date. 1 Appendix - World Health Organisation Pandemic Levels - 2 of 8 - Revised: 4 th December 2009

3 WHO Organisation-wide action Phase 1 3 Pandemic Alert Period Initiate urgent review of business/service continuity arrangements. Initiate urgent review of emerging information and guidance. Use planning groups to consider adjustment of response strategies in respect of optimal practices. Accelerate, consolidate and test preparedness effort. Specifics Confirm responsibilities for key staff CEO, LGfL contract service managers Update Issue LGfL Global heads-up advising of existence of Same Global requests up-to-date LA contacts for pandemic communications 4 Pandemic Alert Period Response Response plans should be ready for instant implementation. As required Trigger activate business continuity plans, working with key stakeholders. Phase Activate regional and local coordination and communication arrangements. Change by London Specifics Resilience Activate mandatory in-house procedures. Team o Hand wash and wipes on entry to office for all staff and visitors. o Special deep cleaning for hot desks, shared keyboards and phones. o Availability of tissues in the office. Seek up-to-date state of readiness statements from suppliers. Formalised supplier planning / rehearsal outcomes. Issue further LGfL Global on state of supplier chain readiness. Update 5 Response Trigger Phase Change by London Resilience Team Pandemic Alert Period Response plans should be ready for instant implementation. As required activate business continuity plans, working with key stakeholders. Activate regional and local coordination and communication arrangements. Specifics Start to plan meeting closures and restrict non-essential travel. Move to travel by car rather than public transport. Issue LGfL Global. Update of 8 - Revised: 4 th December 2009

4 WHO Phase 1 6 Notification of UK Alert level change by LLACC Post pandemic Organisation-wide action UK Alert Levels Now Apply Levels 1 4 Specifics Postpone all meetings and all travel. Move to home working for all non-office based staff. Run a minimised office rota NB single staff working Risk Register entry. Issue service degradation notices to supply chain. Implement first month s LGFL School Closure Programme emergency curriculum. Start planning 2 nd and subsequent months LGFL School Closure Programme emergency curriculum. Update Update of 8 - Revised: 4 th December 2009

5 Responses to specific incidents In addition to the responses to the WHO Phase and the UK Alert changes, the following table identifies particular incidents that could well occur prior to a WHO Phase or UK Alert being activated: Incident Member of LGfL staff contracts virus or is suspected. Dependant of LGfL staff contracts virus or is suspected. Member of any LGfL group contracts virus or is suspected; Executive, sector, steering, management, procurement, Core, Team, etc.. There is an outbreak in a school in which a Curriculum Consultant (CC) has been present within the incubation period. There is an outbreak in a school in which a Curriculum Consultant is due to attend. There is an outbreak in a London school. Failure of a non- core service. Failure of a core service outside of degradation parameters Response Implement WHO Phase 6 actions. Inform all persons / organisations who have been in contact with the infected person during the known incubation period. Instruct the member of staff to remain at home and work virtually. Consider implementing WHO Phase 6 for all staff if in contact in the known incubation period. Inform all persons / organisations who have been in contact with the potentially infected person during the known incubation period. Physically exclude that person from all LGfL meetings but ensue participation via tele / video conferencing where feasible. For LGfL meetings at which contacts of that person might have attended allow participation only through tele / video conferencing. Consider implementing WHO Phase 6 for all staff if in contact in the known incubation period. Inform all persons / organisations who have been in contact with the potentially infected person during the known incubation period. Instruct the CC to stay at home and work virtually until it is clear there has been no infection. Cancel all appointments for that CC at all schools, but for contact to be maintained through tele / video conferencing or LMLE where appropriate as alternative. Cancel all places for staff at that school on LGfL courses. Consider implementing WHO Phase 6 for all staff if in contact in the known incubation period. Cancel all appointments for that CC at that school, but for contact to be maintained through tele / video conferencing or LMLE where appropriate as alternative. Cancel all places for staff at that school on LGfL courses. Cancel all places for staff at that school on LGfL courses. Global announcing the failure and giving an estimate on time to re-instate. Global announcing the failure and giving an estimate on time to re-instate. Issue a contract notice. Investigate alternate options. - 5 of 8 - Revised: 4 th December 2009

6 Failure of a Helpdesk outside of degradation parameters Global announcing the failure and giving an estimate on time to re-instate. Issue a contract notice. Investigate alternate options. - 6 of 8 - Revised: 4 th December 2009

7 Core service degradation The following services are judged as Core to the business of the LGfL and degradation of service performance will be allowed only as stated: Service Core / Permitted level of degradation rank Infrastructure Services Synetrix Helpdesk 1 Core Network 1 None WAN Management & Security (inc with core) 1 None Broadband connection 1 DNS hosting 1 Web site hosting 3 Digitalbrain (DB) Web Site Hosting 3 London MLE Web Site Hosting 3 Small site ADSL LVCNet Network Health Checks Broadband resilience service Secure Remote Access Service SecureStore offsite backup and recovery Security Services URL Filtering 1 content control and Sophos Anti Virus 1 Anti Virus Live-update Enterprise Servers 1 User Level URL Filtering Desktop Content Control Remote CCTV Monitoring E Safety Guidance Learning Platforms DB Education Helpdesk 1 DB Education (previously known as Digitalbrain) 1 None Fronter UK Helpdesk 1 The London MLE (powered by Fronter) 1 None Curriculum and Development Services Atomwide Helpdesk 1 Curriculum Consultants 1 Professional Development for School Leaders Technical Consultants 1 Teaching & Learning Digital Content 1 Content Hosting 1 Video Conferencing - Click2Meet LA Guidance on Video Conferencing School Guidance on Video Conferencing Video Conferencing Workstation Authentication (Shibboleth) 2 Authentication (Unified Sign On - USO) Staff 2 Authentication (Unified Sign On - USO) Pupils 2 Secure File Exchange (USO-FX) 3 Second Factor Authentication (USO-OTP) 3 StaffMail - hosting 1 LondonMail - hosting - Pupils 1 Saf - hosting - Pupils 1 Networked Weather Stations Podcasting 1 Video Upload Service - Video Central Procurement Support Service The absence of a ranking or permitted degradation means that service cannot be guaranteed during the period of a WHO 6 pandemic. - 7 of 8 - Revised: 4 th December 2009

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