Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections (HPA CFI) London UK
Contact persons
Dr Richard Pebody; Dr Mike CatchpoleHPA Centre for Infections
CDSC Immunisation Dept
61 Colindale Avenue
NW9 5EQ London, United Kingdom
Tel +44 208 200 6868
Fax +44 208 200 7868
Description of the institute
In England the national organisation responsible for detecting and controlling communicable diseases is the Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections (HPA CFI), formerly the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (HPA CDSC) The CFI is in Colindale, North London, and also incorporates the Health Protection Agency's former Specialist and Reference Microbiology Service Division (HPA-SRMSD)The CDSC was set up in 1977 to provide 'a highly active information and coordination centre' for the surveillance and control of infectious disease in support of public health doctors and other local authorities concerned with Control of infection. Joint working with Reference Microbiologists has commonly been undertaken, and has been enhanced by the joining together of HPA CDSC and HPA SRMD into one new centre in 2004.
The Centre's main public health functions are:
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Surveillance of
communicable disease. This involves the collection of data by
routine reporting or special epidemiological surveys, the
analysis of these data, their interpretation to provide
information and the dissemination of this information to those
who need it for preventive action. The main information output
of the Centre is a weekly bulletin, the 'Communicable Disease
Report' http://www.hpa.org.uk/cdr/index.html.
CFI manages a range of national reporting systems for communicable disease, including laboratory reporting, clinical reporting and statutory notification systems and environmental monitoring. CFI also makes use of data from many other sources in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of communicable disease in England and Wales.
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Surveillance of
immunisation and vaccination programmes. This comprises the
continuous assessment of the efficacy, safety and uptake of
vaccines, particularly those in the routine schedule of
immunisation and vaccination of children. It includes also
the dissemination of information about vaccine surveillance
to those concerned with immunisation and vaccination in the
field.
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Investigation
and control of communicable disease. This function
involves advice and support to public health physicians
and others in the control of communicable disease. CFI
staff take part in epidemiological investigation with
their locally based public health physician colleagues,
especially when a disease episode is of national
importance or an outbreak is geographically widespread,
and work closely with public health and hospital
laboratories, NHS authorities and local authorities.
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Epidemiological
research. The CFI's research is service orientated and
may be undertaken in association with academic
departments or research institutes. It includes
descriptive studies, analytical studies such as
case-control studies or cohort studies, intervention
studies and field trails of prophylactic agents.
- Teaching and training in communicable disease epidemiology. The CFI's staff takes part in courses and seminars for public health physicians and others concerned with communicable disease control. The Centre provides facilities for attachment of trainees in public health epidemiology and microbiology to enable them to gain field experience of communicable disease investigation and control and to give them experience of surveillance of communicable diseases.
Training opportunities
The EPIET fellow will have opportunities to participate in all main activities carried out by the CFI. Based on the fellow's previous experience and interest, appropriate assignments can be arranged.Training supervision
A suitable trainer for the EPIET fellow will be identified for the period of his/her training. For specific tasks and assignments, the fellow will be supervised by the appropriate consultant for the particular project.Language requirements
EnglishTraining history
Number of EPIET fellows trained at institute: Twelve (1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003[2], 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)Number of alumni at institute: Three
Available as a training site for cohort 14: Yes