Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 21
21
On 18 August, government announced that a new body, the National Institute for Health Protection...
Conclusion
On 18 August, government announced that a new body, the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP), would subsume NHST&T, the health protection functions of PHE and the Joint Biosecurity Centre. The executive chair of NHST&T is also acting as interim executive chair for NIHP. The establishment of NIHP is due to take effect from 1 April 2021.76 However, to date, there have been no further details published on the transition arrangements to the new body.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: November 2021 6.2 Since its creation in May 2020, NHST&T has set out in periodically updated business plans its strategy for testing and tracing services to respond to the changing stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. 6.3 The business plans published in July 2020 and December 2020 can be found at these links: • Developing NHS Test and Trace: business plan, DHSC, July 2020 • NHS Test and Trace business plan, DHSC, December 2020 6.4 In February 2021, the government published its roadmap out of lockdown. This included a strategy for the Test, Trace and Isolate system to help support the easing of social and economic restrictions and keep people safe. NHST&T works in partnership with Public Health England (PHE), the NHS, local authorities, businesses, schools, universities and others to deliver these services. 6.5 In August 2020, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced plans to establish a new national organisation for health protection – now named the UK Health Security Agency – and a series of reforms to strengthen the wider public health landscape. Since then, NHST&T, including the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC), and Public Health England have been working together under new leadership arrangements and moving towards a shared operating model on both the COVID-19 response and designing the new organisation with the Department of Health and Social Care. 6.6 The UK Health Security Agency is being formally established in spring 2021 under its new Chair and Chief Executive, and staff and systems will transfer into the new organisation over the following months. PHE and NHST&T have jointly developed plans to support the government’s roadmap out of lockdown between April and June 2021. Longer term plans are being considered and will be finalised with the new Chair and Chief Executive before publication.