Health Protection Agency

Summary

The Health Protection Agency's role is to provide an integrated approach to protecting UK public health through the provision of support and advice to the NHS, local authorities, emergency services, other arms length bodies, the Department of Health and the devolved administrations.

Profile

The functions of the Agency are "to protect the community (or any part of the community) against infectious diseases and other dangers to health" (HPA Act 2004).

In addition to the Agency's role in reducing the dangers to health from infections, chemical and radiation hazards, it also provides support to, and works in partnership with others who also have health protection responsibilities and advises, through the Department of Health, all government departments and devolved administrations throughout the UK. In England, it provides the local health protection services which in the rest of the UK are delivered by the three other lead health protection bodies; the National Public Health Service Wales; Health Protection Scotland HPS; the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland. The Agency works closely with all these organisations.