What Does Public Health England Do?

Total employees1995
HeadquartersLondon
Founded2013

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) was an independent UK public body established in 2003, becoming a non-departmental public body in 2005, dedicated to protecting the public from infectious diseases and other health threats like chemical and radiation hazards. It provided vital research, expert advice, and specialist services. On April 1, 2013, the HPA's functions were largely transferred to the newly formed Public Health England (PHE). PHE itself was later succeeded by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in October 2021. Throughout its existence, the HPA played a critical role in the UK's health security, including pandemic preparedness, infectious disease surveillance, and emergency response coordination.

Where Is Public Health England's Headquarters?

HQ Function

The Colindale headquarters served as the central administrative and operational hub, coordinating national health protection activities, specialist microbiology services, research, and policy development.

Notable Features:

The Colindale site was renowned for its extensive microbiology laboratories and specialist units, including the Centre for Infections. It was a hub for infectious disease surveillance, diagnostics, and research.

Work Culture:

The HPA fostered a work culture centered on scientific excellence, public service, and collaboration with NHS bodies, government departments, and international health organizations. It was a mission-driven environment focused on safeguarding public health.

HQ Significance:

The HPA's headquarters was pivotal to the UK's ability to respond effectively to public health threats, from infectious disease outbreaks like pandemic influenza to chemical incidents. It provided essential expertise and leadership.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters and its operations embodied values such as scientific integrity, dedication to public safety, rapid response capabilities, and national and international collaboration.

Location:

While its primary remit was the United Kingdom, the Health Protection Agency actively engaged with international health bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The HPA contributed expertise to global health security initiatives, collaborated on international research projects, and its staff often participated in expert committees and outbreak response teams abroad. Its work in areas like infectious disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness, and emergency response had international relevance and impact.

Street Address:

61 Colindale Avenue

City:

London

State/Province:

Greater London

Country:

United Kingdom

Where Else Does Public Health England Operate Around the World?

Chilton, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Address: HPA, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom

Served as a crucial national resource for radiation safety, providing services to government, industry, healthcare, and the public to protect against radiation risks.

Porton Down, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Address: HPA Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, United Kingdom

A key national high-containment laboratory facility vital for biodefence, research into emerging infections, and providing specialist capabilities during public health emergencies.

Buying Intent Signals for Public Health England

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading Public Health England? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, Public Health England' leadership includes:

Justin McCracken - Chief Executive (until March 2013)
Dr. David Heymann - Chairman (2009 - March 2013)
Dr. Paul Cosford - Director of Health Protection and Medical Director (later prominent in Public Health England)
Professor Mike Catchpole - Director, Health Protection Services

Who's Investing in Public Health England?

Public Health England has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

UK Government (primarily via the Department of Health)

What Leadership Changes Has Public Health England Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

In the final 12 months of the Health Protection Agency's operation, executive movements were primarily focused on the transition of functions and leadership to the newly forming Public Health England (PHE). Major 'hires' or 'exits' in the traditional sense were minimal as the organization prepared for its absorption into PHE.

Departures

Justin McCracken, Justin McCracken's tenure as Chief Executive of HPA concluded as the agency was dissolved and its responsibilities transferred to Public Health England.
Dr. David Heymann, Dr. David Heymann's term as Chairman of HPA concluded with the agency's dissolution.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byPublic Health England?

Discover the tools Public Health England uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Public Health England Email Formats and Examples

Email addresses for the Health Protection Agency, when it was operational, typically followed a standard UK public sector format, commonly using the [first].[last]@[domain] structure. As the HPA was dissolved in 2013, these email addresses and the hpa.org.uk domain for email are no longer active.

[first].[last]@hpa.org.uk

Format

jane.doe@hpa.org.uk

Example

0%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About Public Health England?

The National Archives / GOV.UKApril 1, 2013

Health Protection Agency functions officially transfer to Public Health England

On April 1, 2013, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) ceased to exist as an independent entity. Its responsibilities, expertise, and staff were transferred to Public Health England (PHE), a new executive agency of the Department of Health, marking a major restructuring of public health services in England....more

Various UK News Outlets / HPA Reports (Archived)June 2009 - August 2010

Health Protection Agency leads UK response to H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic

Throughout the 2009-2010 H1N1 swine flu pandemic, the Health Protection Agency was at the forefront of the UK's response. The HPA provided critical services including surveillance, epidemiological analysis, laboratory testing, public health advice, and support for the national vaccination program....more

Contemporary News Reports & HPA ArchivesJuly 7, 2005

HPA involved in public health response to London Bombings

Following the terrorist attacks in London on July 7, 2005, the Health Protection Agency played a role in the public health response, including monitoring for potential chemical, biological, or radiological elements, and providing health advice to the public and emergency services....more

Highperformr's free tools for company research

Explore Employees by Region or Country

See where a company’s workforce is located, by country or region.

View Funding Details

View past and recent funding rounds with amounts and investors.

Understand Revenue Insights

Understand company revenue estimates and financial scale.

Track Active Job Openings

Track active roles and hiring trends to spot growth signals.

Review Product and Offerings

Discover what a company offers—products, platforms, and solutions.

Get SIC or NAICS Codes

Get the company’s official SIC and NAICS classifications.

Analyze Website Traffic Trends

Analyze visitor volume, engagement, and top traffic sources.

Discover Social Profiles and Engagement

Explore LinkedIn, Twitter, and other active social profiles.

Identify Top Competitors

Identify top competitors based on similar business traits.

Research and Discover Companies with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster

Explore companies in depth — from the tech they use to recent funding, hiring trends, and buyer signals — all in one powerful view.

Highperformr AI helps you surface the right accounts and enrich your CRM with verified company and contact insights, so your teams can prioritize and engage faster.

  • Track intent signals to find buyers who are actively in-market
  • Enrich contacts and companies instantly, no need to switch tools
  • Automate workflows to stay ahead of every change
  • Connect your CRM & tools for seamless data sync and activation

Thousands of companies, including Public Health England, are just a search away.