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By Baroness Thornton - 7th October 2010
Baroness Thornton writes for ePolitix.com on the abolition of the Health Protection Agency.
In the course of its proposed dramatic changes to the NHS, one of the Arms-Length Bodies (ALBs) that the government intends to abolish is the Health Protection Agency.
The Health Protection Agency's role is to provide an integrated approach to protecting UK public health, including providing independent scientific advice to government. It is a body that works through a wide range of scientific networks and is held in respect across the world. It protects our borders, maintains surveillance across the world of potential health threats, deals with pandemics, infectious disease, provides training for scientists and other health workers. The proposal is to take these functions into government.
There are several immediate risks, and some long term ones which prompted my question.
I am very concerned about how the government will ensure the proper protection of the nation during this period of transition. How will it stop the leeching-away of scientific talent and expertise, because of the turbulence caused by reorganisation? Lack of dedicated scientific expertise holds huge potential risks.
Equally importantly, the 'independent scientific advice' part of the HPA's brief is crucial – and from time to time its advice has been uncomfortable for ministers to hear.
How will the government ensure that the 'independent' part of the HPA is guaranteed? Will scientific advice be made public if it conflicts with the government's view or results in expensive consequences? Will the decision-making process be transparent, and if the secretary of state does not follow the HPA advice, will ministers have to explain themselves?
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