Policy paper

PHE CRCE radiation emergency response arrangements

Published 21 August 2014

Public Health England’s Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (CRCE) maintains emergency response arrangements and facilities to be ready for a wide range of radiological and nuclear emergencies that might have an effect on public health. These arrangements cover all of the UK and UK dependant territories.

In a radiological or nuclear emergency, CRCE would provide public health advice and information relating to the radiological protection aspects of the emergency to colleagues at PHE Centres and other responding organisations including central government.

CRCE can also send teams to carry out radiological monitoring of the environment or the affected population, analyse samples and undertake specialist biological dosimetry. Data from these monitoring activities is used in CRCE’s assessments and subsequent public protection advice.

1. Advice

Advice would be provided to official bodies including:

• the Scientific and Technical Advisory Cell (STAC) and the Recovery Advisory Group (RAG). Representation on these groups will depend on the nature of the scenario and will be achieved working closely with local PHE Centres.
• the Military Co-ordinating Authority (MCA) at a Ministry of Defence (MoD) emergency
• the relevant lead government department, such as the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) or Home Office (HO), as well as Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
• other health organisations such as NHS England

PHE CRCE also has trained radiation protection experts who can attend press briefings and give media interviews to inform the public. This resource would be used as part of a wider multi-agency media strategy co-ordinated by the police local to the incident.

2. Response co-ordination

PHE CRCE’s emergency response is co-ordinated from the Chilton Emergency Operations Centre in South Oxfordshire, with other teams deployed from CRCE offices in Leeds and Glasgow. The Chilton Emergency Operations Centre will:

• provide support to senior PHE advisers at local and national centres
• gather relevant information, particularly radiation monitoring information
• assess monitoring information together with other relevant information
• provide advice and information on the basis of this knowledge
• co-ordinate activities of PHE and other monitoring teams

3. National monitoring co-ordination

In the event of a UK radiation or nuclear emergency, PHE CRCE would be responsible for national co-ordination of radiological monitoring. This responsibility is beyond any statutory duties which other organisations may have. It covers the responsibility for monitoring people and the environment. It does not change or re-allocate any existing responsibilities that organisations might hold with regard to radiation monitoring and PHE has no power to commandeer resources. PHE would not expect to take direct tactical control of any resources made available.

Each organisation co-ordinated by PHE CRCE is responsible for ensuring that their staff are properly trained and its resources are adequately maintained. Operational responsibility would be retained at each monitoring organisation’s emergency centre. PHE CRCE will periodically provide organisations with what information it has as the incident develops.

4. Exercise participation

PHE works on planning, reviewing and exercising the PHE strategy for emergency response. PHE participates in exercises to make sure specialist public health support and advice is available to government departments and other organisations, and to maintain staff expertise.