Chief Executive's Overview

This Annual Report marks the end of a crucial and exciting year for the Agency. In April 2005, the Health Protection Act came into force, establishing us as a UK-wide body and formalising our merger with the National Radiological Protection Board. The new Act has enabled us to take a step closer to realising our vision of an integrated health protection service and requires us take a broader role in protecting the community against infections and other health hazards, both through our direct service provision and through our support of others in the field.

In October 2005, we published our first report on the Burden of Disease, which outlined the significant burden that infections place on primary care services and illustrated the disproportionate impact of disease on the young and the elderly. It also reinforced the recognition that health protection problems are unevenly distributed in the population, adding to inequalities in health. However, it also showed that the evidence on the effects of chemicals within the community is sparse, not only in the UK . We are using the findings of this report to ensure our activities are properly focused and follow up work is underway on some of the key areas. The outputs will further shape our long term strategy and plans. Internally, we have continued to organise our work into programmes, focused on health outcomes and our strategic priorities, which bring together the range of services across the Agency and ensure that they are working towards common goals. This is beginning to bear fruit as shown in this report and we are working to develop and embed this approach across the Agency.

We have continued to modernise the service, not just the infrastructure and organisation, but turning much more to the way in which we deliver high quality services. We agreed a new policy on Strengthening the Frontline, which is now being implemented to establish stronger, multidisciplinary Health Protection Units, using common standards and working in a coherent way. We established a new Division to create a microbiology network in the regions, still working closely with local and regional staff, but looking to gain from the synergy such a network can bring.

Nevertheless, this has not been an easy year for staff. The expectations on the Agency increase all the time, and more of our work is under public scrutiny. Changes such as introducing Agenda for Change and the restructuring of the NHS around them always have an impact on staff. It is to their credit and professionalism that they have continued to deliver a varied and complex range of services to high standards, locally, nationally and internationally.

Health protection is not just the province of the Health Protection Agency. Whilst we might provide the specialist service, much of the delivery is through our many partners and stakeholders. Our aim is to maintain and improve good relationships so that collectively we can give the community the confidence that we are fulfilling our responsibilities on their behalf.

Professor Pat Troop CBE