Health Protection Agency

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) was a non-departmental public body in England.^[1] It was set up by the UK government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards.^[2]

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 Porton Down in Salisbury, Chilton in Oxfordshire, 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 1 April 2013, the HPA minus the South Mimms site became part of Public Health England, a new executive agency of the Department of Health (DoH). The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) located in South Mimms was merged with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).