MAJOR INCIDENT PLAN - NHS Cumbria

SECTION 2 FRAMEWORK, GUIDANCE AND DEFINITIONS4 CIVIL CONTINGENCIES ACT 2004OVERVIEW4.1 The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and accompanying regulations and guidanceprovides a single framework for civil protection across the United Kingdom. The Act (CCA) isdivided into two parts:Part 1 - focuses on local arrangements for civil protection, establishing a statutoryframework of roles and responsibilities for local respondersPart 2 – focuses on emergency powers, establishing a modern framework for the use ofspecial legislative measures that might be necessary to deal with the effects of the mostserious emergencies.4.2 NHS Cumbria and NHS North West Strategic Health Authority have an agreement thatNHS Cumbria should act on behalf of the Strategic Health Authority in planning and leadingthe NHS emergency response. This places additional responsibilities on NHS Cumbria whichare reflected in this plan.RESPONDERS4.3 Two types of responders have been identified, these are:Category 1 Responders are those organisations at the core of any emergencyresponse; for example local authorities, the emergency services, Primary Care Trusts,NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts with accident/emergency facilities, AmbulanceService NHS Trusts, and the Health Protection Agency.Category 2 Responders are those organisations likely to be heavily involved in anyemergency response, for example utility companies (water, gas, electricity,telecommunications), rail companies, airport operators, the Highways Agency, StrategicHealth Authorities.CIVIL PROTECTION DUTIES4.4 NHS Cumbria is now a Category 1 Responders under the Act (CCA). As a Category 1responder, the Trust is now subject to the full set of civil protection duties and we are requiredto:• Assess the risks of emergencies occurring and use this to inform contingency planning;• Put in place emergency plans• Put into place Business Continuity Management arrangements to enable NHS Cumbriato deliver those functions which may be required in an emergency• Put into place arrangements to make information available to the public about civilprotection matters and maintain arrangements to warn, inform and advise the public inthe event of an emergency.NHS CUMBRIAMAJOR INCIDENT PLAN – FRAMEWORK FOR RESPONDING TO A MAJOR INCIDENTPAGE 11 OF 46Version 3 (Dec 2008)