QFLU
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Overview
QFLU is a new daily collection and analysis service specifically established to support pandemic flu planning. It has been set up by the University of Nottingham and EMIS (the main supplier of general practice computer systems within the UK) in collaboration with the Health Protection Agency.
Objectives of QFLU
Currently, QFLU is a not-for-profit network of over 3,300 general practices spread throughout the UK covering a total population of almost 22 million patients (> 25% of the UK population). The practices contribute daily aggregated data to a centralised database. These analyses are available immediately in the event of a flu epidemic or world wide pandemic and relate to activity within the preceding 24 hours or preceding week (with historical data for the preceding two years). The analyses are reported to the Health Protection Agency and its Centre for Infections and from there to the Department of Health.
Scope of analyses
The QFLU dataset contains aggregated summary data for each day and each week on the following variables: count of new cases of flu, prevalent cases of flu since 01 Sept each year, patients at risk of flu requiring vaccination, patients receiving flu vaccinations since 01 Sept each year, the number of patients consulting a GP or nurse, hospital admissions, deaths, deaths for patients with flu, patients prescribed antivirals, patients with a new diagnosis of pneumonia.
QFLU analyses are designed to:
- To alert to a pandemic or epidemic
- To monitor the daily spread and impact of the epidemic and describe
- To make predictions regarding the likely epidemic curve and impact
- To provide daily feedback on vaccination uptake
- To inform vaccine and antiviral distribution decisions, treatment and wider policy decisions
- To undertake research regarding the effectiveness, and any adverse of interventions
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