Local Health Protection Agency services work alongside the NHS providing specialist support in communicable disease and infection control, and emergency planning. LRS works through nine regional offices that correspond to the Government Offices of the Regions and 28 Health Protection Units (HPUs), each covering an area broadly corresponding to a county or police boundary. There are eight Regional Microbiology Laboratories. In addition, thirty seven hospital microbiology laboratories participate as HPA Collaborating Laboratories.
Local and Regional Services »
The purpose of LRS is to strengthen the front line response by coordinating services at the regional and local level. It does this by being a source of specialist advice and operational support and by contributing actively to policy making and implementation in partnership, internally with other HPA divisions and externally with the National Health Service (NHS), local authorities and other agencies.
Regional Microbiology Network »
The Regional Microbiology Network is composed of eight Regional Microbiology Laboratories. In addition, thirty seven hospital microbiology laboratories participate as HPA Collaborating Laboratories. Together, these Laboratories provide frontline diagnostic and public health microbiology services to NHS Trusts and HPA Health Protection Units.