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Goals and Programmes

The Health Protection Agency five year Strategic Plan and Business Plan describe the Agency's strategic priorities focussed on delivering health protection.

The primary method of delivering these priorities is through cross organisational Key Health Protection Programmes.

The aim of this approach is to achieve a co-ordinated way of working across the Agency and to look critically to assess whether the Agency is using its resources to best effect to achieve its aims and objectives.

The current Key Health Protection Programmes are;

·          Healthcare Associated Infection, Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship (HCAI & AMRS)

·          Respiratory Infections

·          Blood borne Infections

·          Gastrointestinal Infections

·          Sexually Transmitted Infections

·          Vaccine Preventable Infections

·          Environmental Hazards

·          Biological Standards and Control

·          New Vaccines and novel interventions

·          Climate change and extreme events

Each Programme has an Executive Sponsor (a member of the HPA Executive), supported by a Programme Chair and Programme Manager.

The role of the Programme Manager is to co ordinate the work and to work with the Programme Chair and Executive Sponsor to ensure the delivery of Programme outputs.

Programmes are supported by a Board with members drawn from across the Agency and from Stakeholder Organisations to bring in a range of perspectives.  This approach provides a co-ordinated way of working across the agency to deliver the strategic priorities and other HPA goals.

Not all of the Agency's cross-organisational work is managed within a Programme - there are a number of other high level priorities supporting the HPA's strategic aims, where other management mechanisms are used to ensure effective delivery.

The ten strategic aims are described in the "Leading the way in health protection - the next five years" (published in January 2009).

In five years we will be:

  • The primary expert force in delivering health protection.
  • Trusted by all in providing advice and services to the public, health professionals, government and others.
  • First choice for authoritative, independent advice and advocacy.
  • Expert and mature in effective partnership working with the NHS and others at local, national and international levels.
  • Respected by the scientific community for excellence in relevant sciences.
  • Recognised internationally as a world-class health protection body.
  • Forward-looking, expert in both managing risks and anticipating future challenges, with an emphasis on prevention.
  • One cohesive organisation.
  • Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities appropriate to deliver consistent, cutting-edge services.
  • An employer of choice, which values and respects staff.