The Health Protection Agency (HPA) was a

non-departmental public body In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body (NDPB) is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to public sector organisations that have a role in the process o ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

. It was an organisation that was set up by the

UK government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_est ...

in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards. The HPA's role was to provide an integrated approach to protecting

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

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 The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

(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 Bioterrorism is terrorism involving the intentional release or dissemination of biological agents. These agents are bacteria, viruses, insects, fungi, and/or toxins, and may be in a naturally occurring or a human-modified form, in much the same ...

or in the event of an emerging virulent disease strain. There were four HPA centres – at Porton Down in Salisbury, Chilton in Didcot,

South Mimms South Mimms is a village and civil parish in the Hertsmere district of Hertfordshire in the East of England. It is a small settlement located near to the junction of the M25 motorway with the A1(M) motorway and is perhaps more widely known because ...

in Hertfordshire, and

Colindale Colindale is a district in the London Borough of Barnet; its main shopping street on the A5 forming the borough boundary with neighbouring Brent. Colindale is a suburban area, and in recent years has had many new apartments built. It's also th ...

in NW London. In addition, the HPA had regional laboratories across England and administrative headquarters in Central London. On April 1, 2013, the HPA minus the South Mimms site became part of

Public Health England Public Health England (PHE) was an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care in England which began operating on 1 April 2013 to protect and improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities. Its formation came as ...

, a new

executive agency An executive agency is a part of a government department that is treated as managerially and budgetarily separate, to carry out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government or N ...

of the Department of Health (DoH). The

National Institute for Biological Standards and Control The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) is a government agency that works in the field of biological standardisation and is part of the United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). It ...

( NIBSC) located in South Mimms was merged with the

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care in the United Kingdom which is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work and are acceptab ...

(MHRA).

History

The Health Protection Agency (HPA), originally established as an NHS special health authority in 2003. On 1 April 2005, the Agency became a

, with the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) being merged into the organisation at the same time. HealthprotectionagencyHQ

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. It was called the 'Microbiological Research Department' (by 1946), and subsequently the 'Microbiological Research Establishment' (from 1951) 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 stl, and renaming the facility from 1 April 1979 as the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research (CAMR) within the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS). In April 1994, CAMR moved from PHLS centre to the Microbiological Research Authority (MRA), reporting to the Department of Health and still continuing the programme in civil microbiological research started in 1979. Microbiology Services is still 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, the eight regional microbiology laboratories and 37 collaborating hospital laboratories. Together, these laboratories provide frontline diagnostic and public health microbiology services to NHS trusts and HPA health protection units. Its remit includes 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. In addition, both basic and applied research is undertaken into understanding infectious diseases and the group manufactures a number of healthcare products, including vaccines and therapeutics. For instance, the HPA is the sole licensed manufacturer of the

anthrax vaccine Anthrax vaccines are vaccines to prevent the livestock and human disease anthrax, caused by the bacterium ''Bacillus anthracis''. They have had a prominent place in the history of medicine, from Pasteur's pioneering 19th-century work with cattle ...

in the UK.

Funding

HPA is accountable to the UK

Secretary of State for Health The secretary of state for health and social care, also referred to as the health secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department of Health and Social Care. The incumbent ...

, and is funded primarily by Government Grant in Aid. Other income is received from the NHS, commercial activities, grants, and other sources. HPA’s income for the fiscal year ending 31 March 2008, was £160.2 million from Revenue Government financing plus £109.2 million total operating income. Total average staff numbers for that year, including secondments and agency staff, were 3,394 staff. Following consultation during April 2010, the HPA has been organised into four groups, with further consultation going on as to the exact structure and function, and the proposed merger into

in April 2013. These four groups are: Microbiology Services, Health Protection Services, Biological Standards and Control, and the Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards.

Microbiology Services

The Division will include the laboratory groups from the Centre for Infections; Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response; the Regional Microbiology Network and their associated supports. The current remit of the Centre includes 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 prepares for and coordinates responses to potential healthcare emergencies, including possible acts of deliberate release. In addition, both basic and applied research is undertaken into understanding infectious diseases and the Centre manufactures a number of healthcare products, including vaccines and therapeutics. Internationally recognised as a world leader in

microbiology Microbiology () is the scientific study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, bacteriology, ...

research and testing, HPA's Porton Down Centre (formerly the Centre for Applied Microbiology & Research, and prior to that the Ministry of Defence's Microbiological Research Establishment) works with foreign governments, international

biotechnology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used ...

and

pharmaceutical A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and ...

corporations, and start-up and spin-out companies. The strategic goal of the Centre is "to build on and develop the intellectual assets of the organisation in partnership with industry." Areas of expertise include:

bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were am ...

vaccine A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious or malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verified.

toxin A toxin is a naturally occurring organic poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. Toxins occur especially as a protein or conjugated protein. The term toxin was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849 ...

therapeutics,

Good Laboratory Practice In the experimental (non-clinical) research arena, good laboratory practice or GLP is a quality system of management controls for research laboratories and organizations to ensure the uniformity, consistency, reliability, reproducibility, quality ...

(GLP) and in-vivo testing of compounds,

biodefence Biodefense refers to measures to restore biosecurity to a group of organisms who are, or may be, subject to biological threats or infectious diseases. Biodefense is frequently discussed in the context of biowar or bioterrorism, and is generally ...

and

biosafety Biosafety is the prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human health. These prevention mechanisms include conduction of regular reviews of the biosafety in laboratory settings, as well as strict guide ...

testing, diagnostics, and the provision of cell cultures. The current Regional Microbiology Network is composed of eight regional microbiology laboratories. In addition, 37 hospital microbiology laboratories participate as HPA collaborating laboratories. Together, these laboratories provide frontline diagnostic and public health microbiology services to NHS trusts and HPA health protection units.

Health Protection Services

This Division will comprise two nationally organised services each with their own head: LaRS and a new National Epidemiology Service. Combining these services into one grouping will facilitate and reinforce close team working among those with the skills relevant to delivering effective and consistent responses to significant health protection threats. LaRS currently provides support to the front line response by coordinating services at the regional and local level. It is a source of specialist advice and operational support and by contributing actively to policy making and implementation in partnership with other HPA divisions and externally with the National Health Service (NHS), local authorities and other agencies.

Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (CRCE)

The HPA Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards comprises the Radiation Protection Division (formerly the National Radiological Protection Board) and the Chemical Hazards and Poisons Division. The base for the Centre is in Chilton, Oxfordshire.

Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC)

The NIBSC mission is to assure the quality of biological medicines. At the heart of the work is the preparation, storage and worldwide distribution of

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level o ...

international standards and reference materials to provide benchmarks for product quality. In addition NIBSC provides testing services as the UK's Official Medicines Control Laboratory to ensure compliance with product specifications. These activities and advice provided by NIBSC are 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 (MHRA).

Health Protection Agency Annual Conference

The Health Protection Agency Annual Conference, which is attended by approximately one thousand health professionals and scientists to promote scientific excellence and best practice in health protection and emergency planning, brings together experts from a wide variety of disciplines to share knowledge of the latest scientific research and developments. From 2013 the name of these conferences changes to "Public Health England Annual Conference".

References

External links

Official website
:
Health Protection Agency Annual Conference 2012
:
Health Protection Agency Annual Conference
(till 2012; link defunct) :
Public Health England Annual Conference

Pharmaceutical-Technology.com
- "Health Protection Agency - Healthcare Product Research, Development and GMP Manufacture: The Health Protection Agency has been working with the

pharmaceutical industry The pharmaceutical industry discovers, develops, produces, and markets drugs or pharmaceutical drugs for use as medications to be administered to patients (or self-administered), with the aim to cure them, vaccinate them, or alleviate symptoms. ...

for over 50 years, undertaking contract research, development and manufacture of healthcare products" {{Authority control 2003 establishments in England Public health in the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Care Defunct public bodies of the United Kingdom National Health Service (England) Government agencies established in 2003