Port Health

Although the use of the same phrase for a sub-set of port health is potentially confusing, this area covers both environmental and health protection activities in ports. In general terms, the responsibilities in this area are the same as they are for health protection in any other part of the country: Some responsibilities fall on Local Authorities (or Port Health Authorities in the case of some ports), some fall to the NHS and some are for the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

The 2006 Port Health Review and the subsequent agreement between the Department of Health (DH), Home Office and the HPA identified the key action for the HPA was to take a clear leadership role on the human health aspects of health protection arrangements in all ports by creating a consistent and effective health protection service at every significant port, working to agreed quality standards.

For the HPA this is in principle no different from any other area of health protection and in general the service is identical to that provided by Health Protection Units in other settings and with other organisations.

Medical Inspection (Immigration Act 1971)

This function provides support to the immigration service by examining migrants to provide health advice on whether they should be admitted to the UK.  The HPA has agreed to ensure an effective service at every port by either providing or commissioning a service.  Much of the current service is devoted to X-raying new entrants for TB (at Heathrow and Gatwick).

Clinical services at ports

This covers all clinical/health care in ports. However, the 2006 Port Health Review was clear that these are firmly the responsibility of the NHS, in just the same way that such services are the responsibility of the NHS anywhere else.

What do these pages cover?

This section of the HPA's website contains the key documents, policies and guidance on port health, as well as links to relevant sections on external websites.

• Operational Issues  eg Operational Plan
• Reports eg European Port Health workshop etc
• International Health Regulations 2005 and local implications
• Policies and Guidance  eg developed by the Port Health Management Board