New public health agency must be independent, say doctors

Public Health England’s replacement must be fully independent from the government and must be able to hold it to account on matters of public health, doctors have agreed at the BMA’s annual representative meeting.

They passed a motion on 15 September saying that covid-19 had highlighted the importance of having a “well resourced national health protection function” and calling for the new agency to include a national public health infection service that is “professionally led and in charge of strategy, operations, education and training, with an appropriate budget and regional offices.”

The motion,1 which passed in full with no speakers against, also said …