Syndromic surveillance: two decades experience of sustainable systems – its people not just data!

Smith, Gillian E, Elliot, Alex J, Lake, Iain ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4407-5357, Edeghere, Obaghe, Morbey, Roger A, Catchpole, Mike, Heymann, David, Hawker, Jeremy, Ibbotson, Sue, McCloskey, Brian and Pebody, Richard and Public Health England Real-time Syndromic Surveillance Team (2019) Syndromic surveillance: two decades experience of sustainable systems – its people not just data! Epidemiology and Infection, 147. ISSN 0950-2688

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Abstract

Syndromic surveillance is a form of surveillance that generates information for public health action by collecting, analysing and interpreting routine health-related data on symptoms and clinical signs reported by patients and clinicians rather than being based on microbiologically or clinically confirmed cases. In England, a suite of national real-time syndromic surveillance systems (SSS) have been developed over the last 20 years, utilising data from a variety of health care settings (a telehealth triage system, general practice and emergency departments). The real-time systems in England have been used for early detection (e.g. seasonal influenza), for situational awareness (e.g. describing the size and demographics of the impact of a heatwave) and for reassurance of lack of impact on population health of mass gatherings (e.g. the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games).We highlight the lessons learnt from running SSS, for nearly two decades, and propose questions and issues still to be addressed. We feel that syndromic surveillance is an example of the use of ‘big data’, but contend that the focus for sustainable and useful systems should be on the added value of such systems and the importance of people working together to maximise the value for the public health of syndromic surveillance services.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: real-time,syndromic surveillance,public health,sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups: University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Social Sciences
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 26 Feb 2019 09:30
Last Modified: 20 Mar 2023 14:44
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/70002
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268819000074

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