The Health Protection Agency publishes handbooks and guidance about emergency preparedness  and its consequences for human health in the UK.

Emergency response booklet

A booklet outlining the key elements of the HPA’s emergency preparedness and response function can be downloaded from this site or a hard copy requested by calling 01980 616929.

CBRN Incidents: A Guide to Clinical Management and Health Protection

This guide to clinical management and health protection in major incidents, including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents, has been written primarily for front line healthcare professionals in emergency departments, but we hope that it will also be useful to others including healthcare professionals in other specialities, such as primary care and public health, emergency planners, trainers and emergency service personnel.

 

• Learning from London 2012: A practical guide to public health and mass gatherings
  This book attempts to capture the lessons learned by the UK Health Protection Agency in planning for, and delivering, public health services for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
  Added/updated: 18 March 2013
  
• London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games: summary report of the Health Protection Agency's Games time activities
  Summary report of the Health Protection Agency's Games-time activities.
  Added/updated: 25 January 2013
  
• The Effects of Flooding on Mental Health
  This report is borne out of a publication in 2009 from the Department of Health - 'New Horizons: a shared vision of mental health'. Its vision states that mental health problems are common as are mental disorders that spring from environmental as well as physical and social risks. One of these environmental risks is posed by disasters, and they include flooding.
  Added/updated: 1 May 2012
  
• Evaluation of the Department of Health National Heatwave plan
  This evaluation report includes a number of recommendations to the Department of Health.
  Added/updated: 17 August 2009
  
• The Public Health Impact of the Buncefield Oil Depot Fire
  The report on 'The Public Health Impact of the Buncefield Oil Depot Fire'.
  Added/updated: 17 August 2009
  
• 2008 Health Protection Agency Heatwave Seminar
  The 2008 Heatwave Seminar aimed to review new research and findings in relation to heatwaves in order to identify ways to improve the current heatwave plan for England. This followed on from the 2007 Heatwave Seminar which reviewed findings from the 2006 heatwave and the corresponding evaluation which led to a number of changes in the 2007 heatwave plan.
  Added/updated: 17 August 2009
  
• Rapid evaluation of 2006 heat wave: Epidemiological aspects
  During summer 2006 the UK Heat Wave Plan (HWP) was triggered at Level 3 (actual heatwave conditions met) for the first time since its adoption in 2004. This report focuses on the epidemiological aspects, and addresses the following aims agreed at a HPA internal meeting held on August 25th.
  Added/updated: 17 August 2009