Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
Defra: Defra has announced changes to the way it identifies wild birds that may be carrying avian influenza. The GB surveillance strategy for 2008-2009 will help identify any change in risk to poultry and other kept birds from avian influenza (AI) in wild birds. The changes, which come into immediate effect, are being brought in as a result of increased scientific knowledge and practical experience in handling incidents of avian influenza.
Under the changes, which have been recommended by epidemiologists, discussed with expert ornithologists and endorsed by the Animal Disease Policy Group, skilled wild bird ecologists and wardens will make year-round patrols in designated reserves. They will screen & assess both live and dead wild birds, in particular gulls, ducks, geese, swans and waders, for avian influenza testing.
In addition, members of the public are from now on being asked to report incidents only where they find 10 or more dead birds in the same place and at the same time.
Press release ~ GB surveillance strategy ~ Guidance on handling and disposing of dead garden and wild birds
OS: Every Year 7 pupil in England, Scotland and Wales can receive a FREE 1:25 000 scale OS Explorer Map of their local areaunder Ordnance Survey’s 'Free-Maps-for-11-year-olds' scheme, which distributes over 700,000 maps to pupils through their schools.
This year Ordnance Survey is offering a special prize for the school that orders the five millionth map - the winners will receive a commemorative map site-centred on their school. In addition Tony Robinson and the Time Team will host a day out for the eight pupils who win the annual free maps competition.
Teachers across Britain are invited to order the free maps on behalf of their pupils by 30 November 2008, on the Ordnance Survey free maps website. Teachers of children with visual impairment are being encouraged to download free extracts from the Get-a-map service on Ordnance Survey's website. It is easy to save and enlarge the extracts for teaching purposes.
Ordnance Survey's website for children offers interactive games and educational activities online. In addition, the online explore portal is a new resource that teachers are taking advantage of, as it allows users to plot, share and search for routes on mapping for all of Britain. Teachers are using the site, which is free to use, to highlight different map symbols to their pupils - something which is a Key Stage 2 requirement.
Press release ~ ‘Map reading made easy peasy’ ~ Ordnance Survey free maps website ~ Ordnance Survey's website for children ~ Get-a-map service
ScotGov: There will be a review of the guidance governing co-payments - the ability of a patient to access treatments not available in the NHS in the private sector, while concurrently receiving the rest of their treatment on the NHS - See ‘Policy Statements and Initiatives’ section for more information.
