Correspondence

Public health system reforms: location of Public Health England functions from 1 October

Published 1 October 2021

Applies to England

Letter from Michael Brodie, PHE Interim Chief Executive and Jonathan Marron, DHSC Director General for Public Health

27 September 2021                                

Firstly, a profound thank you for all that you have done to support protecting and improving the health of the population during these unprecedented times and for your collaborative working.

Reforms to the public health system announced in March become fully operational on 1 October.

At this point Public Health England (PHE) will transfer all of its health protection functions into the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and health improvement/healthcare public health functions into the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), NHSE/I and NHS Digital, prior to PHE’s formal closure.

NHS Test and Trace functions will also become part of UKHSA, and NHS Test and Trace will continue to be visible as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The table below provides an overview of where current PHE functions will be located in the new system. The transition is being managed to ensure continuity of existing services.

As the reforms take shape the structure and leadership of new organisations will evolve to meet emerging priorities and we will keep you informed of any changes that affect our working relationship.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Brodie, Interim Chief Executive, Public Health England                                               

Jonathan Marron, Director General for Public Health, Department of Health and Social Care

Location of PHE functions from 1 October 2021

Function name Primary PHE directorate Function destination
Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Health Protection and Medical UKHSA
Regional and Local Health Protection Places and Regions UKHSA
Rare Zoonotic Infections, Gastrointestinal Infections and Associated Areas National Infection Service UKHSA
Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Chief Operating Officer UKHSA
National Specialist Surveillance and Reference Laboratories National Infection Service UKHSA
Local Microbiology Laboratories and Infection Specialist Services National Infection Service UKHSA
Infections Research and Development National Infection Service UKHSA
Healthcare Acquired Infections and Anti-Microbial Resistance National Infection Service UKHSA
National Immunisation National Infection Service UKHSA
Vaccines and Countermeasures National Infection Service UKHSA
National Poisons Information Service Health Protection and Medical UKHSA
Global Public Health (Health Protection) Health Protection and Medical UKHSA
Global Public Health (Health Improvement) Health Protection and Medical OHID
Medical and Public Health Professional Leadership and Practice Health Protection and Medical UKHSA
Nursing, Midwifery, AHP and Emergency Services Public Health Leadership Nursing, Maternity and Early Years OHID
Maternity and Early Years Nursing, Maternity and Early Years OHID
Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco and Inclusion health Health Improvement OHID
Diet, Obesity and Physical Activity Health Improvement OHID
Health Marketing and Behavioural Change Health Marketing OHID
Regional and Local Health and Wellbeing Advice and Support Places and Regions OHID
Dental public health Health Improvement OHID
Health Improvement Priority Programmes (including public mental health) Health Improvement OHID
Health and Justice Health Improvement UKHSA
Blood safety, Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections Service (STIS) and HIV National Infection Service UKHSA
Sexual Health and HIV services Health Improvement OHID
National Screening Programmes Health Improvement OHID and NHSE/I
UK National Screening Committee Health Improvement OHID
Screening Quality Assurance Health Improvement NHSE/I
Regional and Local Screening and Immunisation Commissioning Support and Expert Advice (embedded in NHSE) Places and Regions NHSE/I
National Disease Registration Health Improvement NHSD
Science Hub Programme Science Hub UKHSA
Research, Translation and Innovation (Health Improvement) Health Improvement OHID
Research, Translation and Innovation (Health Protection) Health Improvement UKHSA
Health Intelligence Health Improvement OHID
People services People UKHSA
Public Health Workforce People OHID
Health Economics and modelling Strategy OHID
Strategy Strategy UKHSA
Corporate Functions Corporate Affairs UKHSA
Regional and Sub Regional Health Care Public Health (HCPH) Places and Regions NHSE/I
Internal and external communications Communications UKHSA
Business development Finance and Commercial UKHSA
Financial management and financial strategy and services Finance and Commercial UKHSA
Digital and Information Communication Technology (ICT) Finance and Commercial UKHSA
Procurement Finance and Commercial UKHSA
Estates and Facilities Finance and Commercial UKHSA
Data and Analytical Sciences National Infection Service UKHSA
National Healthcare Public Health Health Protection and Medical NHSE/I
Quality, Clinical Governance and Safeguarding Nursing, Maternity and Early Years OHID
COVID-19 response Pandemic response unit UKHSA
Public Health Grant Assurance Finance and Commercial DHSC and OHID