UK Public Health Network

The UK Public Health Network for Zoonoses

In 2007 the HPA’s Regional Zoonoses Leads began meeting regularly as a group in order to foster communications and discuss zoonotic issues relevant to England.  One of the core outputs originating from this group is the Zoonoses Newsletter. The group has recently expanded to become UK-wide, and has been renamed the UK Public Health Network for Zoonoses. 

The purpose of the Network is to strengthen links, share expertise, and contribute to the effective prevention and control of zoonotic infections in the UK. Membership includes representatives from the Health Protection Agency (Regional zoonoses leads, the Zoonoses section at HPA Colindale, and zoonoses leads from the Emergency Response Division and the Microbiology Network), and zoonoses leads representing Public Health Wales, Health Protection Scotland and the Public Health Agency Northern Ireland.

The group meets quarterly, and discusses zoonotic incidents relevant to the UK.

Remit of the Network

• To contribute to the effective prevention and control of zoonotic infections in the UK
• To coordinate the links between local zoonoses liaison groups and between local and national groups across the UK
• To provide a forum through which to:

- facilitate reporting of incidents and field investigations

- contribute to surveillance and horizon scanning as appropriate

- provide input to the zoonoses web pages of the different agencies

- contribute to the UK’s annual Zoonoses Report and the quarterly Zoonoses Newsletters

• To disseminate and share information, and promote good practice
• To act as an expert advisory group for local, regional or national zoonotic incidents, and for the development of national policy
  

Zoonoses liaison groups are an important part of the broader network. These have a multidisciplinary membership which includes the Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency, environmental health officers, vets and infectious disease physicians.