The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is leading on this operational matter. The HPA has held discussions with airline representatives, through the Department for Transport’s Facilitation Stakeholders Forum, on the sharing of information in relation to public health incidents. Airlines have responded, on an international basis, that they consider routine collection of further information to be not feasible but have accepted the principle of using World Health Organisation passenger locator cards in the event that information is required in response to a public health incident.
The Health Protection Agency, as the operational lead in this area, has been working actively in collaboration with primary care trusts and local authorities to establish the financial framework for these services as part of its port health quality and governance arrangements. This work will continue within the agency’s overall business planning system.
(2) what steps her Department has taken to ensure the Port Health risk assessment is published and made available to those within the Health Protection Agency responsible for port health as recommended in the Port Health and Medical Inspection Review Report published by the Health Protection Agency in March 2006.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has developed a draft risk assessment for ports and is currently consulting on this with the Association of Port Health Authorities and with ports and carriers via the Department for Transport. Following the consultation the HPA plans to publish these risk assessments once they have been completed, subject to agreement with stakeholders.
The Department does not hold this information.