Increased Demand for Pandemic Planning Workshops Demonstrates That the H1N1 Flu Pandemic is Being Taken Seriously by Government and Industry

Salisbury, United Kingdom, July 22, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Steelhenge Consulting, a leading provider of business continuity and crisis management services has reported a significant increase in demand for pandemic planning workshops. Steelhenge has been asked to deliver training sessions and scenario based pandemic workshops to a number of enterprises with more planned over the summer months. Since the outbreak of the then called 'swine flu' in Mexico, the measure of severity on the WHO pandemic threat scale has been raised to 6, indicating a full pandemic epidemic with efficient and sustained human transmission of the H1N1 flu virus. For more information, visit www.steelhenge.co.uk or call 0845 094 2117.

"Considering that only a few months ago there was concern about whether organisations were taking the threat of pandemic flu seriously, the increased demand we have experienced for pandemic planning workshops since the Mexico outbreak suggests the levels of preparation are being stepped up," commented Isobel Nicholas, Steelhenge's marketing and communications director. "Our scenario based workshops are designed to familiarise people with their pandemic plans and highlight any gaps. Pandemic planning workshops give people a chance to familiarise themselves with their roles in the organisation's response and how they plan to manage staff absenteeism whilst maintaining business continuity, particularly continuity of customer services."

"The H1N1 flu strain has spread faster than anyone predicted from the avian flu alerts in recent years," Isobel continued. We're actually very lucky in the UK and Europe in terms of the timing of the outbreak; we have time to be fully prepared for the flu season in the autumn and winter when the effects of the pandemic are expected to be more widespread." Whilst there is still uncertainty about the likely severity of the pandemic and symptoms are generally mild, the impacts of high staff absenteeism on an organisation may be substantial. "In terms of business continuity, it is very reassuring that so many key organisations are taking the time and care to prepare properly over the summer." Isobel concluded.

About Steelhenge
Steelhenge Consulting provides end to end business continuity, crisis management and emergency planning services to a broad range of corporate clients internationally, as well as to UK Government Departments, local authorities, the European Commission and NGOs. Steelhenge also delivers specialist services in energy resilience, & utility resilience and pandemic planning. Steelhenge has particular expertise in the preparation of people to perform effectively in implementing business continuity plans, and crisis plans and in communicating both internally and externally with stakeholders during crisis.

Established in 2004, with offices in London and Salisbury, Steelhenge is the UK's leader in the delivery of bespoke training and exercises for staff at all levels from the strategic through the tactical to the operational. Steelhenge's consultants have been recruited from a broad range of sectors in order to create a depth of expertise and knowledge across the resilience landscape. All senior staff have operational experience of crises, incidents, emergencies or disasters, enabling them to deliver pragmatic solutions based on real-life experience.

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