Disease control: Exercise Hawthorn: National-Scale Avian Influenza Exercise
Exercise Hawthorn, the UK exercise for Avian Influenza was brought to an early end by the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer at the time, Debby Reynolds.
Please see the Avian Influenza website for further information.
Exercise Hawthorn is a simulation exercise only.
Introduction
The Government, in partnership with the Devolved Administrations, undertook a real-time simulation of an outbreak of avian influenza disease in poultry in this country on the 5 April 2006 in order to check its contingency plans for the control of any such outbreak and those of its agencies and operational partners. The exercise was the culmination of a programme of smaller tabletop exercises and workshops.
Aim
The aim of Exercise Hawthorn was to review, check and update the Government’s current contingency plans for a national outbreak of avian influenza and thereby establish the current state of readiness for such an outbreak whilst identifying improvements in the plans, instructions, structures and procedures employed in managing an outbreak.
How was this achieved?
The live exercise which took place on 5 April 2006 was preceded by a programme of smaller tabletop exercises and workshops held between October 2005 and February 2006. Each of these focussed on a different element of preparedness. This approach aims to focus learning before the actual exercise thus capturing participant’s enthusiasm and commitment. In this way we build up our understanding and knowledge, contribute to staff training and encourage the constructive development of policy.
The cumulative learning and increased emergency preparedness achieved as a result of this programme of exercises was fed into the final live exercise. The planning and preparatory work, in advance of April, was specifically designed to provide a challenging, well supported scenario with enough detailed data to support a worthwhile national exercise.
Live Exercise
A two-day live exercise was planned to take place on 5 and 6 April 2006. Originally designed as a two-day event, the exercise was aborted at close of play on the 5 April. The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) took the decision to end the exercise to ensure all necessary resources were brought to bear on the real outbreak situation. The exercise concentrated on a period 3 days into a confirmed outbreak in order to fully consider the disease control operations and the human health implications. The three command and control levels of the contingency plan - strategic, tactical and operational - were exercised including the strategic response of the Devolved Administrations. At the tactical level the Joint Co-ordination Centre and key policy elements of the National Disease Control Centre were established in Defra’s Page Street building and the Emergency Co-ordination Centre Wales was established at the Welsh Assembly Government offices in Cardiff. Local Disease Control Centres were established in three SVS Animal Health Divisional Offices (Bury St Edmunds, Leeds and Cardiff) and a partial Centre was set up in Gloucester. The National Disease Control Centre that had been established for the exercise in London immediately switched to deal with the real event and support the operational response in Scotland. This follows the established contingency plans of both Defra and SEERAD.
Feedback from participants and observers of Exercise Hawthorn was very encouraging. There was agreement that it was a well-planned exercise and was successful in meeting its objectives up until the point it was brought to a premature end because of real events in Scotland.
Exercise Report
There was general consensus that valuable lessons were identified during
the course of the first day of exercise play and feedback has now been
evaluated. Initial findings highlighted areas for improvement including
amongst others, more effective communications, both internally and with
operational partners, as well as a strengthening of instructions to facilitate
the operational response. A full exercise
report 
(283 KB) outlining these issues has been issued.
Defra is currently undertaking its annual review of its Exotic Animal Disease Generic Contingency Plan. The document is undergoing a twelve week public consultation process which began in July. The final version, to be laid before Parliament in December, will incorporate lessons learned from Exercise Hawthorn, lessons learned from recent outbreaks of disease, and any changes arising from the public consultation process.
Further information
Related Links
Page last modified:
March 14, 2008