Health Protection Agency

The Health Protection Agency was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom. It was an organisation that was set up by the UK government in 2003 to protect the public in England from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards. It did this by providing advice and information to the general public, to health professionals such as doctors and nurses, and to national and local government. There were four HPA centres – at Porton Down in Salisbury, Chilton in Didcot, South Mimms in Hertfordshire, and Colindale 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, a new executive agency of the Department of Health . The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control located in South Mimms was merged with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency .

The HPA's role was to provide an integrated approach to protecting public health in the UK by providing emergency services, support and advice to the National Health Service and local authorities, other Arms Length Bodies, the Department of Health and the Devolved Administrations. The HPA also had a lead role in helping preparations for new and emerging health threats, such as a bioterrorism or in the event of an emerging virulent disease strain.

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