Agenda item

Presentation by the Senior Health Protection Nurse, North East Health Protection Team, UK Health Security Agency  

The Senior Health Protection Nurse, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) gave a PowerPoint presentation, updating Members on the UKHSA, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Health and Social Care.

It was reported that the UKHSA had been responsible for UK wide public health protection and infectious disease capability since April 2021, taking over from Public Health England; the UKHSA had been fully operational since 1 October 2021; and the responsibilities of the UKHSA were outlined. Members were informed that the function, purpose and capability of the Health Protection Teams (HPT) remained the same.

Details were provided of the work of the HPTs in the last year; it was noted that the HPT had and continued to work to support Care Homes and other settings with COVID outbreaks and that work in relation to other notifiable infections had reduced; and reference was made to the resurgence of infectious disease post COVID, in particular scarlet fever.

Reference was made to the post pandemic plans including a return to business as usual, ongoing training for the newly expended health protection team and horizon scanning for imported infectious diseases and a potential rise in infectious diseases such as MMR and Diphtheria due to poor vaccine uptake.

Discussion ensued regarding the monitoring of sexually transmitted infections; the impact of migration on the rates of infectious diseases and possibility of chemical warfare due to current events; and reporting of flu cases.

RESOLVED – That the thanks of the Board be conveyed to the Senior Health Protection Nurse, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), for her informative presentation.

REASON – To convey the views of the Board.