Originally Published 10 January 2003

Following recent concerns about possible deliberate releases of chemical or biological agents, the University of Warwick based 'National Electronic Library for Health Emergency Care' has launched a web resource to provide a one stop access to information for emergency health staff in case of a suspected deliberate release of such agents.

This includes sources of information to recognise groups of symptoms that may be caused by unusual agents, treatments and wider public health responses.

The electronic library's home page is available at
www.nelh-ec.warwick.ac.uk

The direct link to the pages on deliberate releases of chemical or biological agents is
www.nelh-ec.warwick.ac.uk/delibrel.html

The National Electronic Library for health's emergency care branch is managed from the Centre for Primary Health Care Studies at University of Warwick and is funded by the NHS Information Authority. The electronic library was set up in 2001 as a one-stop information shop for emergency care staff.

Dr Matthew Cooke, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Emergency Care at the University of Warwick said: "The web site is increasingly seen as the first place emergency care staff look when needing clinical or managerial information on new developments. We promised that we would respond quickly to meet the needs of professionals working in emergency care facing new challenges and we have done so by providing this information that can support them in dealing with the deliberate releases of chemical or biological agents"

John Heyworth, President of the British Association of Accident and Emergency, said of the electronic library: "This is an invaluable reference and education resource for clinicians in emergency care to optimise the quality of care delivered in emergency departments and throughout the emergency care system."

For further details please contact:

Dr Matthew Cooke, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Emergency Care
University of Warwick Tel: 02476 572905 or 02476 844090
email m.w.cooke@warwick.ac.uk