2. Reason for change
2.1 Historically, Scottish Government has had separate contingency plans for exotic notifiable animal diseases such as FMD and Avian Influenza. These plans provide the framework of the Scottish Government's response to both a suspected and confirmed outbreak of exotic notifiable animal disease in Scotland in order to contain, control and eradicate the disease. These plans have been reviewed in light of our experience of foot and mouth disease in England in 2007 and the subsequent Scudamore Review.
Scudamore Review
2.2 Prof. Scudamore found Scotland's FMD Contingency Plan was considered by officials and stakeholders to be effective during the 2007 but made a number of recommendations. These were informed by a specific study, conducted by Analytic Red, a private consultancy, to feed into professor Scudamore's report. As a result a number of recommendations were made in areas where the plan needed updating which included:
- managing disease inside or outside Scotland;
- managing the wider impacts;
- providing clearer sign posting to other users associated plans;
- incorporate our strategic statement of intent.
Revision process
2.3 Scottish Government invited former acting UKCVO, Fred Landeg, to rewrite the plan taking account of the recommendations. The revised draft plan has already been used in a Animal Health agency exercise in Scotland for FMD and some adjustments have been made as a result. Following that exercise and agreement by Scottish Governments' Rural Directorate, Veterinary Divison and Scottish Resilience Civil Contingencies Unit, the draft plan and associated Communications Strategy has now been issued for a 12 week public consulation to seek your views.