Imported fever service (IFS)
Clinical advisory and specialist diagnostic service for medical professionals managing travellers who've returned to the UK with fever.
The imported fever service (IFS) provides:
- 24-hour, 7-days a week telephone access to expert clinical and microbiological advice
- 24-hour on-call molecular diagnostic service for viral haemorrhagic fevers
- next working day diagnostic service for a range of other acute imported fevers
- panels of diagnostic tools designed for 10 world regions, with the aim of delivering a positive diagnosis, rather than ruling out single infections
The IFS provides advice to support the management of febrile patients, infection control and public health interventions.
How to use the IFS
Hospital doctors can contact the IFS after discussion with the local microbiology, virology or infectious disease consultant.
Call 0844 778 8990 for direct access to one of our on-call experts or see the enquiries process and list of patient details you need before you access the IFS.
If you are seeking information about testing samples from patients with a possible viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF), read Viral haemorrhagic fever: sample testing advice before contacting the IFS.
Sample referral
If you’re advised to send samples for testing by the rare and imported pathogens laboratory (RIPL), complete and enclose a RIPL sample referral form (P1) and send to the address below.
Test results
Positive results are phoned immediately to the referring clinician to support timely patient management, infection control and public health response.
Test results are issued only to identifiable hospital clinicians or general practices. Patients should approach the medical practitioner in charge of their case for their results, not the laboratory.
Public advice
The public can get information on travel-related health issues from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC)
IFS does not offer:
- telephone advice to the public
- guidance regarding pre-travel health advice (vaccination, malaria prophylaxis etc)
Feedback procedure
To register a complaint or compliment about the service provided by the IFS, contact us at:
Dr T Brooks
Imported fever service
c/o Rare and imported pathogens laboratory (RIPL)
UK Health Security Agency
Manor Farm Road
Porton Down
Wiltshire
SP4 0JG
Email tim.brooks@phe.gov.uk
Dr. Tim Brooks 01980 612348
Emails should include ‘IFS Feedback’ as the subject line of the message.
All complaints are taken seriously and are investigated in accordance with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) complaints procedure.
If the resolution to your complaint is not satisfactory, you can request an independent review of the complaint.
About the IFS
The IFS is run by UKHSA in partnership with:
- the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD), London.
- the Tropical and Infectious Diseases Unit (TIDU), Liverpool
Expert advice is provided by UKHSA consultant microbiologists and virologists and by infectious disease physicians from UKHSA and our NHS partner organisations.
Diagnostic tests are carried out by the rare and imported pathogens laboratory (RIPL) at UKHSA. The IFS has close links to UKHSA Health Protection Services.
Contact information
Imported fever service
Rare and imported pathogens laboratory (RIPL)
UK Health Security Agency
Manor Farm Road
Porton Down
Wiltshire
SP4 0JG
Email ripl@phe.gov.uk
Imported fever service 0844 778 8990 (24 hours, 7 days a week)
DX address DX 6930400, Salisbury 92 SP