Health Protection Agency
Agency overview | |
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Formed | 2004 |
Preceding agency |
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Website | www.hpa.org.uk |
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) was a
The HPA's role was to provide an integrated approach to protecting public health in the UK. It did this by providing advice and information to the general public, health professionals and local government, and by providing emergency services, support and advice to the National Health Service (NHS) and the Department of Health. The HPA also had a lead role in helping preparations for new and emerging health threats, such as a bioterrorism or emerging virulent disease strains.
There were four HPA centres – at
History
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) was originally established as an
The origins of the HPA's largest facility in Porton Down can be traced back to 1940, when Porton had a highly secret and independent 'Biology Department' under the Ministry of Defence to study biological warfare and defence against it. By 1946 it was called the 'Microbiological Research Department', and from 1951 the 'Microbiological Research Establishment', with research becoming increasingly defensive and civilian in nature. Total civilian control was established by moving biological defence work to the Chemical Defence Establishment (now
Microbiology Services remained the biggest of the four Divisions within the HPA with 1800 staff, consisting of laboratory groups from the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, the Centre for Infections, eight regional microbiology laboratories and 37 collaborating hospital laboratories. Together, these laboratories provided frontline diagnostic and public health microbiology services to
Funding
HPA was accountable to the UK
Organisation
Following consultation during April 2010, the HPA was organised into four groups: Microbiology Services, Health Protection Services, Biological Standards and Control, and the Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards.
Microbiology Services
This article needs to be updated.(May 2020) |
The Division included laboratory groups from the Centre for Infections, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, the Regional Microbiology Network and their associated supports. The remit of the Centre included infectious disease surveillance, providing specialist and reference microbiology and microbial epidemiology, coordinating the investigation and cause of national and uncommon outbreaks, helping advise government on the risks posed by various infections and responding to international health alerts.
The Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response prepared for and coordinated responses to potential healthcare emergencies, including possible acts of deliberate release. In addition, both basic and applied research were undertaken into understanding infectious diseases and the Centre manufactured a number of healthcare products, including vaccines and therapeutics. Internationally recognised as a world leader in
The Regional Microbiology Network was composed of eight regional microbiology laboratories. In addition, 37 hospital microbiology laboratories participated as HPA collaborating laboratories. Together, these laboratories provided frontline diagnostic and public health microbiology services to NHS trusts and HPA health protection units.
Health Protection Services
This Division comprised two nationally organised services, each with their own head: LaRS and a new National Epidemiology Service. Combining these services into one grouping was intended to facilitate and reinforce close team working among those with skills relevant to delivering effective and consistent responses to significant health protection threats. LaRS provided support to the front line response by coordinating services at the regional and local level. It was a source of specialist advice and operational support, and it contributed actively to policy making and implementation in partnership with other HPA divisions and with the NHS, local authorities and other agencies.
Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (CRCE)
The Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards comprised the Radiation Protection Division (formerly the National Radiological Protection Board) and the Chemical Hazards and Poisons Division. The base for the Centre was in Chilton, Oxfordshire.
National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC)
The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control's (NIBSC) mission was to assure the quality of biological medicines. At the heart of the work was the preparation, storage and worldwide distribution of World Health Organization international standards and reference materials to provide benchmarks for product quality. In addition NIBSC provided testing services as the UK's Official Medicines Control Laboratory to ensure compliance with product specifications. These activities and advice provided by NIBSC were underpinned by leading edge scientific research covering a wide range of scientific disciplines. In April 2013, the NIBSC left the HPA and was merged with the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Health Protection Agency Annual Conference
The Health Protection Agency Annual Conference, which was attended by approximately one thousand health professionals and scientists to promote scientific excellence and best practice in health protection and emergency planning, brought together experts from a wide variety of disciplines to share knowledge of the latest scientific research and developments. The conference continued after 2013 as the "Public Health England Annual Conference".
See also
- Similar Agencies
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) European Union
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) United States
- Centre for Health Protection (CHP) Hong Kong
- Institut de veille sanitaire (IVS) France
- Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) Canada
- National Centre for Disease Control ( India)
51°35′38″N 0°15′14″W / 51.5940°N 0.2538°W
References
- ^ The Health Protection Agency Act 2004, section 1(1)
- ^ "Health Protection Agency".
- ^ "Anthrax vaccine". Archived from the original on 24 September 2006.
- ^ "GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY 2008". Archived from the original on 11 March 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2009.
External links
- Pharmaceutical-Technology.com - "Health Protection Agency - Healthcare Product Research, Development and GMP Manufacture: The Health Protection Agency has been working with the pharmaceutical industryfor over 50 years, undertaking contract research, development and manufacture of healthcare products"