Appendix 17
CONCEPT NOTE Development/Testing of a FMD Contingency Plan Assessment Tool 1.
Proposal prepared by: Secretariat (through consultant, Nick Honhold)
2.
Short description of the background to issue or situation The proposal emerged from the result of several drivers, one being the variation in content and depth of European Contingency Plans (CPs), and another being the lack of familiarity or practise in CP in neighborhood region countries in emergency planning. For example, in the Caucasus countries, EUFMD initiated CP for FMD but without a strong Government commitment until forced by the international pressure and circumstances of HPAI situation. This proposal is based on experience in several countries where the EUFMD has been asked to assist assessment of preparedness planning: the question remains, how do we encourage the trend towards self-assessment? How do we achieve greater harmonisation of inspections of preparedness for disease emergencies?
3.
Key bottlenecks/issues addressed Overall issue to be addressed: • Lack of tools to assist member states to internally assess the quality of their contingency plans; • Lack of tools to assist external evaluation of preparedness, using a comparable set of indicators; • Lack of tools to assess progress to address gaps in CPs;
4.
Proposed action A draft “FMD Continency Plan Assessment Tool” has been developed by a consultant, based on work sponsored by FAO for assessment of HPAI contingency plans. If the Executive Committee and/or EC consider the concept/ approach potentially useful, the next stage would be: • Ask Member States (MS) to volunteer for a pilot study to apply the tool and evaluate the coverage and guidance notes; • MS can opt for self-assessment, or to interactively complete the CP assessment tool during a visit of a EUFMD expert; • Feedback received will be used to improve the quality of the tool; • Further follow-up: different languages, promote implementation including possibly FVO inspectors, national experts and/or consultants).
Outputs: • CP tool and guidance notes that have been evaluated in at least 3 countries; • Plan of action on improving the use of self-assessment procedures. 5.
Budget estimate: To be determined. Circa 20,000€, assuming professional time (consultant) plus 2 missions of one week to undertake evaluation of the tool in member countries that require visits (assume 5000€ per mission).
6.
What to recommend
76th Comité Exécutif de la Commission Européenne de Lutte contre la Fièvre Aphteuse
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