UK Health Security Agency
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will be responsible for planning, preventing and responding to external health threats, and providing intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage.
UKHSA will ensure the nation can respond quickly and at greater scale to deal with pandemics and future threats.
UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.
It will begin to operate from 1st April 2021 and will be led by:
- Dr Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England who will become Chief Executive
- Ian Peters, Chair of Barts Health NHS Trust who will become the organisation’s Chair
The previous health improvement, prevention and healthcare public health functions of Public Health England transferred to new homes within the health system, aligned to achieve clarity of purpose, accountability and impact. A new Office for Health Promotion will be created in the Department of Health and Social Care, under the professional leadership of the Chief Medical Officer.