Emergency departments (EDs) in the United Kingdom (UK) are not prepared for emerging biological threats and bioterrorism.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the preparedness of emergency departments (EDs) in the United Kingdom (UK) for the management of potential biological incidents.

METHODS

We telephoned all hospitals in the UK listed as having a major ED. We surveyed their ED facilities and procedures for managing patients with infectious diseases. We determined how many of the EDs had an isolation room available and, if present, whether this had an independent ventilation system and separate access from outside the ED. In addition, we determined how many of the EDs would isolate patients with suspected cases of chickenpox, tuberculosis (TB), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and other suspicious infections.

RESULTS

We obtained complete data from 203 (79%) of the 257 hospitals approached. Only 49 (24%) of these hospitals had isolation facilities available in the ED. Of these 49 EDs, 30 (61%) reported an independent ventilation system and 18 (37%) reported a separate access from outside the ED. The majority of EDs would isolate patients with potential infectious diseases, however, 47 (23%) would not isolate patients with suspected chickenpox, 37 (18%) EDS would not isolate patients with suspected TB, 12 (6%) EDS would not isolate patients with suspected SARS and 55 (27%) EDS would not isolate patients with other suspicious infections.

CONCLUSION

EDs in the UK are not prepared for emerging biological threats and bioterrorism. With current facilities and procedures it is highly likely that an infectious agent will spread to staff and other patients in any future biological incident.