Policy paper

2010 to 2015 government policy: health emergency planning

Updated 8 May 2015

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Applies to England

This is a copy of a document that stated a policy of the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government. The previous URL of this page was https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/planning-for-health-emergencies. Current policies can be found at the GOV.UK policies list.

Issue

A wide range of events can cause health emergencies, including natural hazards, accidents, outbreaks of disease and terrorist attacks. Emergencies can be minor events that threaten the health and lives of local communities or major events that affect the whole population.

As much as possible, we try to prevent these emergencies. But it’s important that we are able to respond quickly if they do happen, to reduce their impact on people’s lives and to stop lives being lost.

Actions

Setting clear responsibilities for responding to health emergencies

Building on the 2013 reform of England’s healthcare system, the Department of Health has worked with a wide range of partner organisations to update and strengthen the way we plan for and respond to emergencies.

Our emergency response plans make it clear who in the health system is responsible for co-ordinating national and local responses. The Department of Health is responsible for:

  • making sure the whole healthcare system can respond to emergencies
  • assuring ministers, the Cabinet Office and other government departments that the health system is ready to deal with incidents and emergencies
  • supporting ministers at Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms – committees set up by government to deal with major crises
  • making sure that plans are in place to deal with threats identified by the National Risk Register
  • working with the devolved administrations and internationally (for example through the World Health Organization) to make sure that wider plans and mutual aid arrangements are in place and effective

NHS England is responsible for making sure that the NHS has comprehensive, tested plans for emergencies.

Public Health England is responsible for making sure England is prepared to respond to public health incidents. Its activities include supporting organisations involved in emergency response by:

  • providing health protection services expertise and advice and co-ordinating responses to major incidents
  • assessing public health needs and gathering data to support emergency plans
  • carrying out risk assessments
  • providing scientific and technical advice
  • providing microbiology services

Local councils have always had emergency responsibilities. From April 2013, councils will appoint directors of public health, who will have a leadership role in public health and, where appropriate, lead public health incidents in their area. They will also provide advice to organisations in their area to promote an effective response to public health emergencies.

Supporting local responses to emergencies

Health organisations will work together with other local responders (for example the police and fire services and local councils) to plan for and respond to emergencies. Local health resilience partnerships bring together the organisations involved in planning for health emergencies in each local area. Through these forums, the whole health system works together to make sure there are effective plans in place to manage incidents and emergencies.

We want to make sure that local health resilience partnerships understand their duties and have the support they need to fulfil them. The roles and responsibilities of health organisations with respect to EPRR are set out in the attached resource pack

Responding to a flu pandemic

There is an ongoing risk of a new form of flu pandemic in the UK, and the Cabinet Office National Risk Register rates human pandemic disease as the highest impact risk. It’s important that we stay as well prepared as possible.

To help prepare for a flu pandemic, we have published:

Background

The Department of Health’s arrangements for health emergencies form part of wider government plans for national and local emergencies, led by the Cabinet Office’s Civil Contingencies Secretariat.

The plans are flexible enough to respond to a wide range of threats to public safety, and they involve relevant government departments and other organisations, nationally and locally. The Department of Health leads on health emergencies but is supported by other departments as and when necessary.

Legislation

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 strengthens arrangements for emergency response. It sets specific emergency duties for the Secretary of State for Health, NHS England and clinical commissioning groups.

The Act makes changes to the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, so that the new health organisations are named ‘responders’ to give them specific duties and functions to prepare for and respond to emergencies.