Communicable disease and health protection quarterly review: April to June 2003. From the Health Protection Agency Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre.

There were two major events that dominated this quarter. The first, on an international scale, was the threat from the emerging disease known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which is dealt with as a feature article below. The second, on a national level, was the establishment of the new Health Protection Agency (HPA), which came into operation on 1 April 2003, bringing together the functions and expertise from: the Public Health Laboratory Service, including the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, the National Focus for Chemical Incidents, the Regional Service Provider Units that support the management of chemical incidents, the National Poisons Information Service, and NHS public health staff responsible for the control of infectious disease, emergency planning and other protection support. Until new legislation is enacted the HPA, which will operate in England and Wales, will work in close partnership with the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). Thereafter functions currently carried out by the NRPB should transfer to the HPA. The HPA is intended to deliver 10 key gains for public health: