Health Protection

Health protection seeks to prevent or reduce the harm caused by communicable (infectious) diseases and minimise the health impact from environmental hazards such as chemicals and radiation. As well as major programmes such as the national immunisation programme and the provision of health services to diagnose and treat infectious diseases, health protection involves planning, surveillance and response to incidents and outbreaks.  The scope and scale of work by local government to prevent threats to health emerging, or reducing their impact, will be driven by the health risks in the area.

From April 2013 new statutory responsibilities relating to health protection were placed upon Blackpool Council as a result of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The Director of Public Health (DPH) is responsible for the local authority’s contribution to health protection matters including their role in planning for and responding to incidents that pose a threat to the public’s health. It means that the DPH will provide information, advice, challeng and advocacy on behalf of the local authority, to promote preparation of health protection arrangements by relevant organisations operating in the local authority area¹.

The Public Health team works closely with Council colleagues and with Public Health England (PHE) who provide a specialist health protection response to protect the population of Blackpool from infectious diseases and other noncommunicable health threats.

This includes:

Adult vaccinations

Adult screening programmes:

• Diabetic eye screening (retinopathy)

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)

Infectious/communicable diseases

Health care associated infection (HCAI)

Blood-borne viruses (BBV)

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

NHS Health Checks

Sexual Health

• • Abortions

  • HIV and AIDS

  • Other sexually transmitted infections (inc. Chlamydia)