Collection

Urgent public health messages

Public health messages to all NHS service providers.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has responsibility for cascading ‘urgent public health messages’ via the Central Alerting System (CAS) to providers and organisations when public health issues arise which may require action from the NHS.

Urgent public health messages

Urgent public health messages are a communication cascade to the health system which are related to urgent and emerging public health matters which do not meet the threshold for a National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA), but which may require action and intervention by the NHS to prevent the escalation of an emerging public health threat.

Providers

Providers are expected to:

  • note the information and actions detailed within each ‘urgent public health message’ communication
  • cascade the information and actions to the relevant teams locally
  • provide assurance that information is actioned appropriately at a local level
  • ensure appropriate local teams are subscribed to receive communications via the CAS

Documents

Updates to this page

Published 17 April 2023
Last updated 15 August 2024 + show all updates
  1. Added 'Clade 1 mpox virus infection'.

  2. Added urgent public health message about food botulism outbreak in France.

  3. First published.