Expected results/Outcome

Communication and dissemination of deliverables is a key element of EU funded projects.  Dissemination refers to the process of making the results and deliverables of the project available to internal stakeholders and, importantly, to a wider specialist audience who can take decisions on the take-up and use of results.  For example, in policymaking or practice improvements.

The communications and dissemination function supports the objectives of all other work packages.

The communications WP aims to generate long term, sustainable benefits by increasing communications and dissemination capability and capacity across the work packages. The intention is to leave a blueprint for effective programme communications for future Joint Actions.

Milestones, Activities, Outputs, Deliverables

2019

• 23-24 May 2019 SHARP presented by work package 1 at the ECDC Joint meeting for NFPs for Preparedness & Response and NFPs for Threat Detection, EWRS & IHR , Stockholm, Sweden.
• 13-14 June 2019 SHARP presented by work package 1 at the HEALTHY GATEWAYS General Assembly Hamburg, Germany.
• 18-20 June 2019 SHARP presented by work package 1 Global Health Security Conference 2019 Sydney, Australia.      
• 27 – 28 June 2019 Presentation on the approach to communications for SHARP Joint Action at the 1st Steering Committee, Luxembourg
• July 2019 National public health organization Greece (EODY) news story about SHARP launch (PDF)
• 2-3 July 2019     As part of the SHARP JA Partnership Forum in Vilnius, Lithuania a Communications workshop (PPT 739Kb) gathered key message and stakeholder information from each of the Work Packages for the development of the communications and dissemination strategy. A Presentation of the communications timing plan (PDF 450Kb) was made to more than 70 participants from 24 countries.
• 4 July 2019 Chafea news article on SHARP launch.  Chafea News 4 July 2019.pdf 163kb
• 05 July 2019 MS6 Stakeholder analysis for targeting the dissemination activities and communications planning MS7, including MS8 channel strategy to ensure awareness increase, information, engagement and promotion.
• 30 September 2019 SHARP presented by work package 1 at the High Level Conference of the EU Health Programme, Brussels, Belgium
• 2 October 2019 News article on SHARP launch at THL website (PDF)
• 3 October 2019 Work package 2 prepared SHARP_launch_press release for use by partners nationally.
• 14-15 October 2019​ OneHealth Conference, Helsinki, Finland​.   Mika Salminen, SHARP JA Coordinator, Director, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) introduces the SHARP Joint Action (SlideShare) 405 views.  View the presentation video: SHARP Joint Action (YouTube) 21 views. This was followed by SHARP JA partner presentations providing country perspectives that set the scene prior to the pandemic (including subsequent dissemination/download metrics):
  • SHARP WP5 brief introduction – Strengthening IHR core capacities, Anders Wallensten, Public Health Agency of Sweden.  Presentation: SHARP WP5 brief introduction – Strengthening IHR core capacities (SlideShare)  284 views.  Video: SHARP WP5 brief introduction – Strengthening IHR core capacities (YouTube) 32 views
  • Indra Linina, Department of Disaster Medicine Preparedness Planning and Coordination, State Emergency Medical Service, Latvia.  Presentation: Latvia (SlideShare) 279 views.  Video: Latvia (YouTube) 15 views
  • Mirjam Maeusezahl, Federal Office of Public Health, Switzerland
    Presentation: Switzerland (SlideShare) 181 views.  Video: Switzerland (YouTube) 20 views
  • Anni Virolainen-Julkunen, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland
    Presentation: Finland (SlideShare)  157 views.  Video: Finland (YouTube) 21 views
  • Preparedness and response planning (WP6) Corien Swaan, National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM).  Presentation: Preparedness and response planning (WP6) (SlideShare) 206 views
  • Laboratory preparedness and responsiveness (WP7) Daniela Jacob, Robert Koch Institute
    Presentation: Laboratory preparedness and responsiveness (WP7) (SlideShare).  Daniela Jacob: Laboratory Preparedness and Responsiveness (SHARP JA W… (slideshare.net) 307 views
  • Chemical safety and chemical threats (WP9) Eirian Thomas, Public Health England
    Presentation: Chemical safety and chemical threats (WP9) (SlideShare) 132 views
  • Case management and infection prevention and control preparedness (WP10), Francesco Vairo, National Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani (INMI).Presentation: Case management and infection prevention and control preparedness (WP10) (SlideShare) 181 views
  • Mirjam Maeusezahl: Joint External Evaluations (JEE) – Country experiences: Switzerland One Health Security Conference, 14-15 Oct 2019, THL, Helsinki Oct. 24, 2019 139 views
  • Panel discussion on SHARP responses and plans, Facilitators: Raquel Duarte-Davidson (SCHEER) and Anna Katz (THL, SHARP JA) Video: SHARP responses and plans – Panel discussion (YouTube) 24 views 
• October 2019 D2.2: A SHARP JA dedicated website designed and published and the related deliverable was submitted on 19 December 2019 Website goes live.  Serving as a central reference point to inform about and promote the Joint Action; for promotional materials and for announcing and reporting on events, stakeholders’ forums, as well as it is a focal point of all communication and dissemination activities. It features dedicated pages for each work package and WP2 is responsible for the creation, management and sustainability of the platform in collaboration with technical work packages.
• 8 November 2019 National public health organization Greece (EODY) public relations activity achieved coverage in
  • Greek_news_article.pdf
  • https://www.consilium.europa.eu Greek_news_article_2.pdf
  • https://www.inewsgr.com/ iNewsGr.pdf
  • https://medlabgr.blogspot.com Medlab.pdf
  • https://www.healthview.gr Healthview.pdf
  • https://www.pna.gr Pna.pdf
• 11 November 2019 A specific and appropriate communications and dissemination strategy ensuring visibility for, and awareness of, the project submitted.The MS7 Communications plan includes key messages and MS8 Communication channel strategy.
• 20 November 2019 SHARP presented by work package 1 at the EUPHA Pre-conference: EU cooperation to strengthen preparedness and management of cross-border health threats, Marseilles, France.
• 11 December 2019 News post on work package 8 event on development of training plans to strengthen IHR capacities held on the 12-13 November 2019.

2020

• January 2020 SHARP Joint Action – Social media rationale and usage guide published internally
• 29 January 2020 Visual identity of the joint action finalised by work package 2.
• 29-30 January 2020 Workshop for assessing and strengthening IHR core capacity, Latvia.  WP2 collaborated with WP3 to include Communication and Dissemination questions in the WP5 Workshop 1 post survey. The results showed that the majority (66.67%) identified conference and SHARP JA website as channel preferences and expressed a wish for work package 2 to provide examples of good practises for relevant crisis/risk communication was expressed.  The latter prompted planning for the online Workshop 2: Risk Communication in March 2022.

The impact of COVID-19 on SHARP JA

On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization declared that the outbreak of COVID-19 constitutes Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).   The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the weaknesses and major challenges in the international approach to managing public health emergencies. Enormous pressure was placed on the public health institutes within the Joint Action.  The pandemic has put health systems under extreme stress, with personnel having to adapt to unexpected and changing circumstances while continuing to provide high quality deliverables for the Joint Action.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, SHARP supported the EC and the Member States, and especially work packages for laboratory preparedness and responsiveness (WP7 in coordination with the ECDC) and for case management and infection prevention and control preparedness (WP10).

Work package teams were put under pressure and sometimes reassigned to their national Covid-19 responses. This meant a significant decrease and delay in all activities.  Plus, the need to revisit the scope of some work packages.

While reorienting and gearing a proportion of its activities and resources towards fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, SHARP Joint Action continued the implementation of its with a view to enhancing and further consolidating key achievements over the period of the joint action.

• 4 February 2020 Greek ministry of health news article on SHARP launch.  Greek_ministry_of_health.pdf
• 6 February 2020 News post Developing EU level preparedness is about collaboration, learning and acknowledging the best practices
• 6 February 2020 News post SHARP and EMC provide support in laboratory diagnostics for COVID-19
• 11 February 2020 News post on Workshop for assessing and strengthening partners’ IHR core capacity organised in Riga 29-30 January 2020
• 12 May 2020 News post on SHARP partners throughout Europe are working on COVID-19 response
• 15 July 2020 News post on Work package 6 workshop on Inter-sectoral collaboration
• 3 August 2020 News post on Risk Communications: 5 Key Principles for effective communications, to meet the partner request in January 2020 for examples of good practice in risk communication
• 5 October 2020 News post on Second partnership forum held for 90 online participants in June 2020
• 12-16 October 2020 SHARP Joint Action represented at the EUPHA virtual conference of 3,759 delegates from 125 countries
• 25 November 2020 D2.1 Leaflet to promote the action in a layman language to highlighting the main aims; structure and output of the project.  It is assumed that the leaflet was available at the events listed at Events organized by SHARP – SHARP Joint Action (sharpja.eu).  No hard data is available apart from Greek partner EODY who report that the leaflet was downloaded 190 times from their website. 

2021

• January 2021 News post on the Workshop on laboratory preparedness and responsiveness held online in early December 2020.
• 22 March 2021  Risk Communication was identified as one of the International Health Regulations core capacities that required the most strengthening.  In response to this, Work Package 5 of the SHARP Joint Action held a Risk Communication workshop hosted by work package 2 online. Work package 2 was amongst the 40 representatives participating in the forum, representing partner countries engaged in the work package activities. Presenters shared best practice examples that related to the WHO benchmark tool and Joint External Evaluation indicators for risk communication capacity. Participants then went on to discuss these further in break-out sessions where they were able to share additional examples or challenges they had faced in their respective countries during this pandemic. A quantitative and qualitative post-event survey rated useful and informative overall, with some comments focusing on risk communication related to Covid 19 which prompted planning of the Covid Fatigue webinar for April 2021. 
• 14 March 2021 News post on progress report includes dissemination of  technical work package progress, including links to the following presentations:
  • WP4 (Integration in National Policies and Sustainability) submitted a draft guidance tool on sustainability to the European Commission. The tool will be tested in practice and developed further according to the results.
  • WP7 (Laboratory preparedness and responsiveness) organized the first External Quality Assurance Exercise (EQAE) in 2020, to assess European laboratory capacities for diagnostics of highly pathogenic bacteria and virus.
  • WP8 (Training and local exercises, exchange of working practices) conducted a cross-sectoral training needs assessment and inventory of existing IHR-related training activities and materials. Curriculum of basic IHR training was developed, and the first session of online basic training was held in 2020 with 54 participants.
  • WP9 (Chemical safety and chemical threats) developed a questionnaire to assess IHR capacities regarding chemicals. The questionnaire also explores current and required chemical laboratory networks.
• 9 April 2021 News post promoting COVID-19 Fatigue Webinar 29 April 2021.  Plus, social media campaign.
• 29 April 2021 WP2 planned and delivered a webinar on COVID-19 fatigue. The webinar was well received by 65 participants and has influenced future plans.  Recordings from the event and full suite of materials (link to Padlet.
• May 2021 Communications and dissemination toolkit published.  A resource intended to give work package leads an overview of the types of communication activity work package 2 can provide to support plans for promotion and dissemination of specific deliverables.
• 7 May 2021 Work package 1 presented at the Joint Action TERROR online kick-off meeting.
• 27 May 2021 Post event news post on Improving risk communication through trust and clarity summarising the risk communication and COVID-19 fatigue workshops.
• June 2021 Constant Contact email marketing tool introduced to deliver a structured, regular updates and WP specific updates to SHARP partners throughout the remainder of the action.
• 4 June 2021 Post event news post on Tackling COVID-19 Fatigue – SHARP Joint Action (sharpja.eu) Click to access the recordings from the event, as well as the full suite of materials (link to Padlet):
  • Katrine Bach Habersaat – Introducing COVID19 Fatigue, presentation on YouTube. 40 views
  • Leah Morantz 5 Cross Cutting Principles. 14 views
  • Anna-Leena Lohiniva on the impact of data analysis around public perceptions and how it can be used to tailor approaches to COVID-19 fatigue and risk communications.  15 views
  • Dr Tanya Melillo Public Health consultant heading the infectious disease prevention and control unit in Malta and Charmaine Zahra is a Specialist Trainee in Public Health Medicine at the Ministry for Health, Malta, explored how making the most of every engagement opportunity had helped identify the barriers faced by people across Malta.  12 views
  • Huw Cook Communications Officer at Public Health Wales talks through an example of how Public Health Wales had worked in partnership to promote a Safe Ramadan in Wales. He detailed the decision making process, how partners were identified and what new approaches had enhanced the coproduction process.  40 views
• 16 – 19 November 2021 Poster presentation:  Identifying the sectors described in public health emergency preparedness & response literature: A systematic review.  Disseminated at the ESCAIDE Conference 2021, available to 2500 online participants form the infectious disease public health community, it highlighted the challenge that, despite a push for multisectoral collaboration, only four sectors are frequently mentioned in literature describing collaboration during public health emergencies. View the poster: Identifying the sectors described in public health emergency preparedness & response literature: A systematic review (PDF 536 KB)
• 9 December 2021 News post on SHARP Partnership Forum gathered the Joint Action partners together (sharpja.eu)
• 16 December 2021 News post on 12 months’ non-cost extension for SHARP JA
• 20 December 2021 Weaknesses in collaboration and communication between work packages recorded in the Periodic Technical Report (published in January 2021) were mitigated via the launch of an internal newsletter distributed to 298 SHARP partner contacts via Constant Contact. The email performance will feature in the campaigns analysis of Task 2.6: Final communication and dissemination report.

2022

• 14 February 2022 Work Package 2: Communication and Dissemination proposal to SHARP Joint Action steering committee outlines some fresh principles to support more effective dissemination and ease of evaluation for the remaining period.
• 16 Feb 2022 Work package 2 contributed to the SHARP Joint Action Achievements and Results briefing dissemination to the Health Security Committee.
• March 2022 Digital Channel Planning, Analysis and recommendation and refreshed Communications and dissemination strategy and process published and refined approach adopted.
• 9 March 2022 Work package 2 presentation to work package 4 on the theory adopted in WP2 communications and dissemination strategy refresh.
• 11 March 2022 Work package 2 facilitated a dissemination presentation on SHARP Joint Action by Dr Anna Katz, of THL at the Healthy Gateways hybrid final conference.  More than 250 people from 32 countries participated in person or virtually together with presenters from EUMS, from 8 European institutions (DG SANTE, DG MOVE, HaDEA, ECDC, EASA, EMSA, ERA, Frontex) from WHO (WHO HQ, WHO EURO) and other  International Organisations, from US CDC, Taiwan CDC, EU SHARP Joint Action, from other universities and research centers, cruise line representatives and air companies as well as port authorities. Collaborations and synergies between SHARP Joint Action and @Heathy Gateways in respect of IHR-related hazards and preparedness at points of entry demonstrate clear EU added value. 
• 17 March 2022  Website analysis and improvements brief met the recommendation of the work package 3 Midterm External Evaluation report, 02 February 2022 for more usage of SHARP website as a mean of communication and source of information.
• The analysis revealed several weaknesses, including that the functionality to record deliverables downloads was not available in the THL-managed SHARP website.  This would prove problematic in meeting the specified WP2 indicator in the evaluation plan.  Communications performance metrics from the Constant Contact email marketing tool and social media would now be captured to meet the evaluation indicator.
• Work package 2 initiated updates to individual work package pages using SEO principles to facilitate publishing of deliverables and calls to action to encourage email update subscriptions.
• 4 April 2022 News post on Public Health Wales website published aimed at national Health professionals audience achieved Pageviews 71/ Avg. Time on Page 00:02:40
• 5 May 2022 Work package 2 engagement with SHARP JA advisors – DG SANTE, ECDC, HaDEA and WHO to explore greater collaboration on communications.  Exploiting the principle that they are a trusted messengers and more likely to achieve external engagement for the lesser-known SHARP JA brand. SHARP JA Dissemination Reaching external audiences V3.docx.
• 6 May 2022 In collaboration with work package 4, work package 2 presented The EU Health Policy Platform Opportunities for SHARP JA Sustainability to the Joint meeting of the Advisory Committee and Steering Group
• 9 May 2022 News post on Strengthening preparedness for serious cross-border health threats – the activity of work package 8.
• 17 May 2022 News post on SHARP Joint Action’s 13th Steering Committee and 4th Advisory board meeting on 6 May 2022 in Stockholm.
• 23 May 2022 SHARP Joint Action contributed to the final evaluation of the 3rd Health Programme via online focus group discussion for Joint Actions.
• June 2022 Work package 2 delivered training to individual work packages on the principles of Dissemination for Impact:  Preparing information for Policy Makers (PowerPoint 2.45 MB) and Content writing best practice.docx designed to improve quality of deliverables and capability in engaging communication. The communications work package aims to generate long term, sustainable benefits by increasing communications and dissemination capability and capacity across the work packages.  The material was developed in line with Joint Research Centre Competence Framework – ‘Evidence for policy’ for researchers.doc
• 1-3 June 2022 Work package 1 disseminated SHARP Joint Action progress at the ECDC expert consultation on the implementation and evaluation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 21 June 2022 SHARP Joint Action newsletter emailed via Constant Contact.  Analysis of metrics informed future communication improvements.
• 27 June 2022 Significant work had been undertaken by work package 2 to address weaknesses in the SHARP joint Action website in meeting the Web Accessibility Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/2102).  This directive provides people with disabilities with better access to websites and mobile apps of public services.  Third party accessibility services had been engaged to ensure the accessibility of all online content and a training presentation for the Steering Committee was delivered by work package 2.
• 10 August 2022 News post as an element of a campaign promoting work package 6 IHR preparedness and multisectoral collaboration response planning – Expert meeting 06 and 07 September 2022, Malta and Online.
• 22 August 2022 Post event news post on work package 8 workshop Intra and After-Action Reviews – translating theory into practice for professionals across eight EU states on 8 June 2022.  This online workshop gave 22 health professionals from 8 European countries (Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, The Netherlands) the opportunity to practice designing and planning an IAR/AAR using concrete examples; and to exchange ideas with other practitioners, scientists and experts from ECDC and WHO.
• 26 August 2022 News post element of campaign to promote SHARP JA at the 15th European Public Health Conference 9-12 November 2022
• September 2022 Work package 2 completed an update of both the joint action leaflet and the banner stands.
• 14 September 2022 News post element of campaign to promote Strengthening EU preparedness and response to chemicals threats to health promoting the work package 8 and 9 Chemicals Threats Online Workshop, 12 and 13 October 2022
• 21 September 2022Work package 4 opinion piece onthe relevance of SHARP Joint Action for the EU Health Union.
• 27 – 28 September 2022 SHARP Joint Action presents at the annual meeting of the National Focal Points (NFPs) for threat detection, EWRS & IHR and the NFPs for Preparedness & Response.
• 28-29 September 2022  WP1 contributed to ECDC COVID-19 Lessons Learnt Expert meeting, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 3 and 4 October 2022, Presentation on dissemination by WP2 at the WP8 meeting Lisbon, Portugal and online
• 04 October 2022 Training presentation to the Steering Committee in response to evidence of weakened engagement from bulk email tool.  Communications weaknesses and threats, remediation recommendations (PDF 681kb).
• 25 October 2022 News post element of campaign to promote work package 8 tabletop exercise on  Points of entry: contact tracing, control measures and cross-sectoral collaboration. Athens, 8 – 9 December 2022.
• 11 November 2022 Work package 2 facilitates a lunch symposium at 15th European Public Health Conference including video and post production work.
• 24 November 2022 SHARP dissemination via WP1 and 8 presentations at the Public Health Symposium of the 20th Serbian Medical Congress, Belgrade, Serbia.  WP6 project of evaluating preparedness and response plans also promoted.
• 7 December 2022 SHARP dissemination via WP1 presentation to an audience of 30 health protection experts from authorities responsible for health preparedness in their countries at the Nordic Health Preparedness Conference Oslo and online.
• 9 December 2022 News post element of campaign to promote study visit to the DG SANTE Health Security Unit, Luxembourg, January 2023 SHARP Joint Action facilitates professional development around IHR
• 21 December 2022 News post element of campaign to disseminate SHARP JA WP5, WP6, WP8 deliverables presented at the 15th European Public Health Conference on the 11 November 2022. Attended by a record number of over 2,500 delegates attending from over 80 countries worldwide, around 50 people attended the “SHARP Joint Action – strengthening capacity in preparing for the unexpected”, symposium in person in Berlin.  Links to video within the news post extended the reach of this content with 49 views.

2023

• 17 January 2023 Post event news post on the Work Packages 8 and 3, International Tabletop Exercise on control measures and contact tracing at points of entry on 8 and 9 December 2022. Participants in the hybrid exercise included 134 professionals from nineteen countries as well as the European Union, the ECDC, the WHO and other bodies.
• 31 January 2023 News post on European Commission approval of further 6 months’ non-cost extension for SHARP JA.
• 8 February 2023 News post element of campaign to encourage registrations to work package 6 workshop, Inter-Sectoral Preparedness and Response Planning Essentials.
• 14 February 2023 International and multisectoral cooperation are critical for effective response to serious cross-border threats to health news post element of campaign to disseminate work package 6 Lessons learnt from the review of health threats of three different origins: biological, chemical and environmental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III report published  December 2022. 
• 15 March 2023 Save-the-date news post element of campaign to promote the  SHARP Joint Action Final Conference.
• 25 April 2023 News post element of campaign on Frontiers in Microbiology journal publication of  study by SHARP Joint Action Work Package 7 partner Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) that shows that high-income countries host enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) strains that have similar pathogenic potential as those most often found in developing countries. SHARP Joint Action research identifies gaps in endemic diarrhoea diagnosis in high-income countries.
• 26 April 2023 News post element of campaign promoting SHARP Joint Action workshop at the 17th World Congress on Public Health: The future in a world of turmoil 2-6 May 2023 in Rome.
• 2-6 May 2023 Banner stands and 500 leaflets distributed raised awareness at the 17th World Congress on Public Health: The future in a world of turmoil  in Rome.  Despite low numbers at the of SHARP Joint Action workshop many of SHARP work package lead organisations disseminated poster and oral abstracts over the 4 days. Notably, The National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) work package 10; Institute of Public Health of Serbia work package 8; Robert Koch Institute work package 7; and RIVM work package 6.
• 8 May 2023, Federation of European Academies of Medicine (FEAM) webinar Are we ready for the next cross-border health crisis? The high-level speakers attracted an audience of over eighty.
  • Simo Nikkari – SAPEA Working Group on Strategic Crisis Management in the EU
  • Marija Jevtic – Serbian Academy of Medical Sciences, Co-Chair of the FEAM One Health subcommittee on environment
  • Sara Cerdas – MEP, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
  • Thomas Hofmann – Head of Section, Emergency Preparedness and Response Support, Public Health, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control)
  • Anne Simon – Head of Unit, HERA Emergency Office, DG HERA
  • Dr Sylvie Briand, Director, Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Department at WHO
    Elements of the agenda had relevance with the outputs and outcomes of SHARP Joint Action, including the importance of bio-security and the One Health approach for future pandemics and outbreaks; and the continued need for collaboration internationally for both preparedness and response.  Plus, the crucial role of multi-sectoral coordination. Sara Bengtsson of the Public Health Agency of Sweden (work package 5 lead) was able to join the discussions.  Disseminating how SHARP Joint Action helps strengthen preparedness for all hazards cross border threats to health and its particular focus on lower GNI countries.   SHARP Joint Action had identified that countries themselves report that their IHR capacities have strengthened prompted by the efforts made in the management of the pandemic. Recording of the FEAM webinar Are we ready for the next cross-border health crisis?
• 11 May 2023 Insights on intersectoral and multilateral collaboration for strengthened IHR health systems news post element of campaign further disseminating the content shared at the 17th World Congress on Public Health via links to the presentations from work packages 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 at the session.
• 11 May 2023 News post element of campaign to promote work package 8 workshop on Disaster Recovery Planning for public health professionals.
• 19 May 2023 News post element of campaign to encourage registrations for SHARP Joint Action Final Conference on 19 and 20 June 2023, Helsinki.
• 31 May 2023 SHARP Joint Action dissemination to more than 70 countries, international and non-government organisations and private sector companies on the GHSA framework via a feature in the GHSA newsletterhttps://globalhealthsecurityagenda.org/ghsa-newsletter-may-2023/, the reach extended via social posts.
• 8th June 2023 Raised the profile of SHARP amongst EU policymakers and WHO Euro by posting in the chat during the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies webinar ‘Responding to the perma-crisis: Strengthening health systems resilience priorities and best practices’. This session with senior policy-makers from EU Member States, highlights how they are responding on the key priorities of governance, health workforce, and innovations in healthcare delivery. The session also explores European and international governance responses to strengthen health system resilience, with the European Commission, WHO, and the current trio of EU presidencies: Sweden, Spain, and Belgium. Watch the recording here.
• 9 June 2023 Outi Karvonen, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, disseminates SHARP Joint Action priority outcomes at the EU4health Stakeholders’ Conference session on Protect People.  WP2 helped make the case to sustain the outcomes as they contribute to the Health Security Framework and  Countermeasures to fight crises.
• 14 June 2023 News post element of campaign disseminating SHARP Joint Action work package 6 deliverables using informative video, Inter-Sectoral Preparedness and Response Planning Essentials.  The videos will remain visible after the closure of the joint action, hosted in a THL playlist on You Tube 13 videos 21 views.
• 15 June 2023 News post element of campaign disseminating work package 5 deliverables –  International collaboration between authorities during crisis report, authored by experts from the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the IHR Core Capacity Strengthening and Assessment report from the Public Health Agency of Sweden.
• 16 June 2023  News post element of campaign promoting work package 8 workshop on detection and surveillance of public health emergencies, 6 and 7 July 2023.
• 21 June 2023 Mika Salminen (THL) disseminated an update on SHARP Joint to the 32 authorities represented in the Health Security Committee (HSC). The HSC has a key role in coordinating action taken by the Commission and member states in order to implement the regulation on cross-border threats to health.
• 23 June 2023 D2.4 A blueprint of dissemination for future Joint Actions approved by the SHARP Joint Action steering committee.  This guidance document serves as a reference point for the planning and implementation of communications and dissemination for future joint actions.  In line with sustainability objectives, it was disseminated to JA TERROR work package 2 to inform their development of their communications and dissemination activity.
• July 2023 Final conference dissemination campaign comprising news post, direct mail to 650 subscribers, social media posts

In Development

• Dissemination of Vector Borne diseases table top exercise September 2023
• Task 2.6: Measurement and evaluation of communications activity captured in D2.5 Final communication and dissemination report 
• D2.3 Layman version of the executive summary final SHARP Joint Action report.   A short (e.g. 10 pages) policy briefing using engaging graphical formats for external dissemination to political bodies, European organisations, media, civil society and to the public.

Work package 2 key organisations and people

Work package lead: Public Health Wales – affiliated to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) who since April 2021 is responsible for England-wide public health protection and infectious disease capability.  It is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). 

A memorandum of understanding enabled the UK to continue participating in the SHARP Joint Action post-Brexit.

Public Health Wales NHS Trust (PHW) is the national public health agency in Wales and exists to protect and improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities for people in Wales. Part of the NHS and reporting to the Cabinet    Secretary     for     Health,     Well-being     and     Sport     in     the     Welsh     Government.     PHW provides advice, expertise and specialist services to Welsh Government, seven health boards, two NHS Trusts, 22 local authorities, other agencies and to the population of Wales. It We provides the public health knowledge, scientific expertise and intelligence to lead transformational change and to drive a focus on ensuring that we deliver tangible improvements in health and wellbeing outcomes and reduce health inequalities in Wales. Public Health Wales, health boards and local authorities work closely together to promote public health in their areas and jointly identify and set the local strategic agenda in partnership with communities, housing, education, police, fire and rescue and the voluntary sector.

Co-lead: THL Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is a research and development institute under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. 

THL is a governmental research institute and a public health agency under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The main mission of THL is to promote health and welfare in Finland and to provide reliable, evidence-based information for the government, decision-makers and other actors in the social welfare and health sectors.

The Department of Health Security at THL oversees preventing, combating and monitoring infection and environmental threats on a national level. The Department maintains preparedness to diagnose and control infectious diseases, and it directs, supports and develops national monitoring and surveillance systems for infectious diseases and the national vaccination programme.

THL is part of international networks (ECDC, WHO), and it serves as national IHR and EWRS focal point. THL has been key partner in development of WHO Joint External Evaluation (JEE) process for IHR assessment and THL has participated and led several JEE missions globally.

Core team

Dr Giri Shankar is the Professional Lead Consultant for Health Protection at Public Health Wales. His role involves overseeing the operational delivery of health protection services across Wales. He is the consultant lead for health protection programmes including sexual health, substance misuse and health & justice. Prior to joining Public Health Wales, Giri worked for Public Health England as the Deputy Director for Health Protection. Giri obtained his basic medical degree and masters in community medicine from India and subsequently moved to the UK. He trained in the West Midlands obtaining both his Masters in Public Health from the University of Birmingham and higher specialist public health training certification from the West Midlands Deanery. He is also a fellow of the Faculty of Public Health.

Leah Morantz is the Head of Communications for Public Health Wales and has extensive experience across a variety of internal communications, marketing and PR roles for the financial services and regulated utilities sectors. Leading the Communications function for the organisation, Leah acts as a strategic advisor helping internal stakeholders to meet their business objectives through planning and execution of internal and external communications strategies. Accustomed to managing complex change across a large, matrix organisation, Leah is a skilled project manager with the ability to balance priorities in a fast-paced, demanding environment. A leader in her field, Leah employs a collaborative approach to her work and enjoy coaching others. Outside of work, Leah has been the co-Vice Chair of the Women’s Network of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) where her focus was on ensuring that the voice of women remains central to the design and provision of women’s healthcare. She is past Chair of the Maternity Services Liaison Committee for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board where she set the strategic direction of the committee to focus more on public and patient involvement.

Karen Dancey is a professionally qualified, marketing and communications specialist with expertise across a broad range of sectors, but particularly the public sector.  Investment in post graduate qualifications, including Prince2 project management practitioner, provides the vision and tools for strategic development and business planning; plus the solid theory to underpin tactical delivery of projects. Achieved Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute in 2012.

Fanni Appleberg, Communication Officer, THL brings a Masters Degree in Organisational Communication to WP1 and WP2 dissemination activity.

Mari Isomäki.  Mari brings a bachelor’s degree in World Politics and Master of Social Sciences, World Politics, underpinned by a BA (Hons.) in Modern Languages to WP1 and WP2 dissemination activity.  Experience includes liaison officer during Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union; research for Demos Helsinki tank;  external and internal communications for Helsinki EU Office; and most recently 2 years + in communications for the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

News

Subscribe to SHARP newsletter