Guidance

Annexe A: UKHSA EPRR accountabilities and responsibilities framework

Updated 15 January 2025

As the accountable officer, the Chief Executive (CEX) of UKHSA is accountable for the outcomes of our response to a health security incident. On behalf of the Secretary of State for Health, UKHSA will act as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in respect of emergency preparedness, resilience, and response.

The EPRR accountabilities and responsibilities framework describes those areas that have been delegated to ExCo members and should be read in conjunction with UKHSA’s corporate arrangements. Within this framework ‘accountability’ refers to the resource owner and ‘responsibility’ refers to the UKHSA Executive Committee (ExCo) member.

UKHSA CEX

• Act as accountable officer for UKHSA Category 1 responder duties.

• Be the authority for the activation of an enhanced and/or severe incident response as described in UKHSA’s IRP.

DG Science and Research and Chief Scientific Officer

• Lead the preparedness and response of UKHSA’s Chemical, Radiation and Environmental Hazards (including adverse weather) capability and capacity.

• Lead UKHSA’s specialist advice to CBRN incidents.

• Lead the preparedness and response of the specialist microbiology laboratory and associated functions.

• Lead the generation and synthesis of evidence for the continuous improvement of preparedness and response.

• Provide appropriate individuals to be trained as Incident Directors and, as requested, to represent UKHSA at multi-agency response forums, such as TCG, SCG, STAC, COBR and SAGE.

Clinical and Public Health Group, Chief Medical Adviser

• Lead the preparedness and response of infectious and endemic diseases capability and capacity.

• Lead the UKHSA’s specialist advice to infectious disease outbreaks.

• Be the authority for the activation of a Standard incident response as described in UKHSA’s Incident Response Plan.

• Provide appropriate individuals to be trained as Incident Directors and, as requested, to represent UKHSA at multi-agency response forums, such as TCG, SCG, STAC, COBR and SAGE.

Health Protection Operations Group (HP Ops), DG HP OPs

• Lead the delivery of health security incident response at the local, regional and national level.

• Lead UKHSA’s EPRR function and the Agency-wide perspective on preparedness, response and assurance for UKHSA Executive Committee.

• Lead the delivery, maintenance and operation of UKHSA’s network of national and regional response centres.

• Lead UKHSA’s Borders and Ports of Entry capability and capacity.

• Provide appropriate individuals to be trained as Incident Directors and, as requested, to represent UKHSA at multi-agency response forums, such as TCG, SCG, STAC, COBR and SAGE.

• Director EPRR has specific statutory duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 as the nominated UKHSA official with delegated responsibility from the Secretary of State.

Data, Analytics and Surveillance Group (DAS), DG DAS

• Lead the provision of a secure data environment, systems and data flows to support preparedness and response.

• Lead the production and development of UKHSA’s Health Security Risk Assessment, All Hazards Situational Awareness Dashboard and the development of novel analytical and/or visualisation tools and incident specific assessment.

• Lead and/or support the preparedness for and response to any cyber incident or internal insider attack in accordance with the UKHSA Cyber Response Plan.

• Provide appropriate individuals to be trained as Incident Directors and, as requested, to represent UKHSA at multi-agency response forums, such as TCG, SCG, STAC, COBR and SAGE.

Strategy, Policy, and Programmes Group (SPP), DG SPP

• Lead coordination of UKHSA’s pandemic preparedness capability and capacity.

• Lead the development of pandemic preparedness strategy and policy.

• Lead on coordinating UKHSA’s advice to ministers and other government departments during incident response.

• Ensure that UKHSA’s preparedness and response is compliant with Public Sector Equality Duty and other health equity legal obligations.

• Provide appropriate individuals to be trained as Incident Directors and, as requested, to represent UKHSA at multi-agency response forums, such as TCG, SCG, STAC, COBR and SAGE.

Communications, Director of Communications (ExCo member)

• Lead the preparedness and response of UKHSA’s regional and national risk communications capability and capacity.

• Lead the implementation of the appropriate risk communications response strategy including ‘warning and informing’ the public.

• Lead external affairs engagement, strategic communications, social and digital publishing and work with experts on the production of communications materials.

• Identify and support a cadre of trained UKHSA broadcast spokespeople.

People, Chief People Officer (ExCo member)

• Lead the development and implementation of people policies and processes for preparedness and response, in particular the arrangements for the rapid surge of people to support incident response.

• Lead the development and management of professions and skills data relating to incident response skills to ensure that all UKHSA staff have a secondary role to support incident response.

• Enable UKHSA to access the people resources required for response including via contractual routes (for example, MOUs, commercial arrangements, bank staff contracts) and other x-HMG arrangements.

• During incident response and recovery, provide strategic oversight of people resource usage and their wellbeing.

Finance and Corporate Services, Chief Financial Officer (ExCo member)

• Lead on all aspects of financial management during preparedness and response, including oversight of corporate risks, assurance and budget approvals.

• Work with DHSC (and where necessary HM Treasury) on funding where costs of an incident response cannot be absorbed within UKHSA budgets.

• Ensure rapid and robust assurance and approvals for spending decisions relating to incident response.

• Provide estate, legal and health and safety support, advice and guidance to ensure effective risk management of staff and the public during incident response.

Commercial, Director of Commercial (ExCo member)

• Ensure that appropriate commercial arrangements are in place to stand up rapidly an incident response at scale.

• Liaise with DHSC, Cabinet Office and HM Treasury on any additional commercial requirements for preparedness and response and have arrangements in place so usual procurements and services can continue.

• Ensure incident response procurement requirements are achieved, balancing urgency, value for money and corporate risk when negotiating contracts.

Technology, Chief Technology Officer (ExCo member)

• Lead on all aspects of technology pertaining to UKHSA preparedness and response, including IT Incident Response, IT Service Provision and Management, and IT Service Development.

• Support business decision-making regarding the prioritisation of recovery activities, in line with the UKHSA’s Business Continuity Framework.

COVID-19 Vaccine Unit, Director of COVID-19 Vaccine Unit (ExCo member)

• Lead UKHSA’s COVID-19 vaccine capacity and capability to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to stand up rapidly an increase in COVID-19 vaccinations.