Public health system reforms: location of Public Health England functions from 1 October
Published 1 October 2021
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2021
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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 |