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New guidance on the provision of public health advice during a major incident

  • Last modified date:
    16 April 2007
  • Gateway reference:
    7929

Following a cross-government review, led by the Cabinet Office, of the provision of scientific and technical advice during major incidents, it has been agreed that from the 16th April 2007, the existing Health Advice Team (HAT) arrangements will be subsumed into new arrangements called the Scientific and Technical Advice Cell (STAC). The STAC will work in a similar manner to the current HAT arrangements, however it will now include (when relevant) wider scientific advice than the HAT previously did. It is also envisaged that the STAC will provide advice during the recovery stage.

As part of the agreement to subsume HAT into the new STAC arrangements, it has been agreed that the initial formation of the STAC will need to be actioned by local and regional responders. Therefore, the principles as laid down in the HAT guidance will still need to apply, and in the first few hours of an incident, the STAC may need to be led by public health colleagues from either the NHS or Health Protection Agency (HPA). Whilst it will be for local responders to develop plans for the formation of the STAC, it is envisaged that public health colleagues will lead this work.

The guidance recommends that a pool of suitable people be maintained at a local level and that individuals have the correct skill set to chair the STAC. The Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency is working with the Cabinet Office to develop suitable and accredited training for chairs of the STAC which will be rolled out later this year.

Regional Directors of Public Health (RDsPH) remain responsible for ensuring robust local arrangements are in place for activating a STAC and nominating a chair. Furthermore, RDsPH should ensure that these arrangements have been communicated to, and are understood by, all key partner agencies including local police forces. However, in the absence of any robust local arrangements, the fall back position should be that the chairs of Strategic Coordinating Groups (or GOLD commanders) contact the SHA Regional Director of Public Health to activate a STAC.

It is anticipated that the initial focus of the STAC will be the provision of public health advice to the GOLD commander. As the incident progresses, the membership of the STAC may expand to include other appropriate scientific and technical specialists in relation to the risk, who can provide wider scientific advice to the GOLD commander.

Any arrangements to provide a STAC will need to interface with regional and local Health Protection Agency structures, and should take into account any local arrangements that already exist between the HPA, Primary Care Trusts and police forces.

A copy of the new STAC guidance (which is released for consultation) can be accessed via the Cabinet Office UK Resilience website

For any questions from health colleagues about this guidance then please contact Phil Storr who is leading this work on behalf of Dr Penny Bevan

 

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