People may be interested in the PHE remit letter for 2019, and repeated in 2020.
"Fulfil the Secretary of State’s duty to protect the public’s health from infectious
diseases and other public health hazards, working with the NHS, local government
and other partners in England, and also working with the devolved administrations
and globally where appropriate. This means providing the national infrastructure
for health protection including: an integrated surveillance system; providing
specialist services, such as diagnostic and reference microbiology; developing,
translating and exploiting public health science, including developing the
application of genomic technologies; work to address antimicrobial resistance;
investigation and management of outbreaks of infectious diseases and
environmental hazards; ensuring effective emergency preparedness, resilience and
response for health emergencies, including global health security; acting as the
focal point for the UK on the International Health Regulations; and evaluating the
effectiveness of the immunisation programme and procuring and supplying
vaccines".
They have utterly failed. As have other bodies such as the Care Quality Commission who failed to report on the inadequacies in care home management, and OFQUAL who failed miserably in sorting out the exam fiasco.
One wonders how many other government watchdogs are equally deficient in their own field (eg: Gambling Commission). Change is long overdue!
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