Animal Health
RelayStation recruited in the battle against Bird Flu
Background
Animal Health is an Executive Agency of DEFRA, providing public health and animal health and welfare services across Great Britain. Animal Health plays an important role in ensuring and improving the health and welfare of farmed animals, seeks to eradicate existing disease through the implementation of specific animal and public health policies, manages disease outbreaks and facilitates the international movement of animals and animal products.
Strategy
RelayStation was selected in December 2005 to provide urgent announcements in the event of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) being discovered in the UK. Avian Influenza is a highly infectious disease affecting many species of birds. The most severe form of the disease (highly pathogenic) is a notifiable disease which was last confirmed in the United Kingdom in 1991. Recent outbreaks of a new form of the virus, H5N1, have arisen in Europe. In the event of an outbreak of this, or any other major animal disease, Animal Health, will be using RelayStation to pass vital information to vets and other animal health professionals by broadcast high numbers of telephone calls playing recorded, up to the minute, information messages.
Execution
Key to this application is Relaystation’s ability to bulk broadcast telephone calls that allow the recipient to select, via the telephone keypad, which parts they hear, by playing a recorded message:
“…. For the latest management summary press 1, for information on how this effects you region press 2, for a list of important telephone numbers press 3, and to be transferred to speak directly to one of our staff please press 4”
Results
A spokesman for Animal Health said ‘The ability to very quickly pass up to date information and advice to vets is key in bring any outbreak of disease under control. RelayStation gives us a quick, easy and very cost effective way of doing just that.’