The Health Security (EU Exit) Regulations 2021

PART 2 EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEILLANCE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Epidemiological surveillance and sharing of information

6.—(1) For the purposes of this Part, “ epidemiological surveillance” means the systematic collection, recording, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of data and analysis on the communicable diseases and related special health matters listed in the Schedule.

(2) Each UK public health agency must undertake epidemiological surveillance in relation to the part of the United Kingdom for which it is responsible.

(3) Each UK public health agency must collect the following information arising from the epidemiological surveillance—

(a) comparable and compatible data and information in relation to the epidemiological surveillance of those communicable diseases and related special health matters;

(b) information concerning the progression of any epidemic situations;

(c) information concerning unusual epidemic phenomena or new communicable diseases of unknown origin.

(4) The information in paragraph (3)(c) includes any information which comes to the attention of the UK public health agency relating to unusual epidemic phenomena or new communicable diseases of unknown origin originating or occurring outside the United Kingdom.

(5) The information specified in paragraph (3) must be shared with the other UK public health agencies in accordance with the procedures established by the Committee under regulation 7(1)(a).

(6) When sharing information under paragraph (5), the UK public health agency must, where available, use the relevant case definition for each communicable disease and related special health matter specified on a list kept by the Committee for that purpose (“the case definitions list”).

(7) The Secretary of State may, on the advice of the Committee, by regulations—

(a) add a communicable disease to the list in Part 1 of the Schedule;

(b) amend the name of a disease on that list; or

(c) remove a disease from that list.

(8) The Secretary of State may, on the advice of the Committee, by regulations—

(a) add a related special health matter to the list in Part 2 of the Schedule;

(b) amend the name of a related special health matter on that list; or

(c) remove a related special health matter from that list.

(9) In giving advice for the purposes of paragraph (7) or (8), the Committee must have regard to—

(a) the potential of the communicable disease or related special health matter to cause significant morbidity or mortality, or both, across the United Kingdom, especially where the prevention of that disease or related special health matter requires a United Kingdom-wide approach to coordination;

(b) the desirability of exchange of information between the UK authorities about the communicable disease or related special health matter in order to provide early warning of the threats to public health;

(c) whether in the case of a rare and serious communicable disease or related special health matter the pooling of data would allow hypothesis generation from a wider knowledge base;

(d) whether effective preventive measures relating to the communicable disease or related special health matter are available with a protective health gain; and

(e) whether United Kingdom-wide comparison would aid evaluation of programmes aimed at preventing the communicable disease or related special health matter in question.

(10) The case definitions list means the list of case definitions for each communicable disease and related special health matter as specified in Annex 2 of the Implementing Decision—

(a) subject to any variation to any of the case definitions as the Committee may, from time to time, consider appropriate; and

(b) including any additional case definitions added by the Committee under paragraph (11).

(11) The Committee, in order to ensure the comparability and compatibility of the data collected from across the United Kingdom from epidemiological surveillance, must add to the case definitions list any case definitions adopted by the Committee to apply—

(a) to Covid-19;

(b) to any additional communicable diseases and related special health matters added by regulations under paragraph (7) or (8); and

(c) to any serious cross-border health threat to which regulation 12 applies.

(12) Each UK public health agency must publish —

(a) the case definitions list;

(b) any variation or addition to the case definitions list under paragraph (10) or (11).

(13) In paragraph (10), “the Implementing Decision” means Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/945 of 22 June 2018 on the communicable diseases and related special health issues to be covered by epidemiological surveillance as well as relevant case definitions.

Surveillance procedures and methodologies

7.—(1) The Committee must—

(a) establish procedures for the collection and sharing of information from the epidemiological surveillance undertaken under this Part; and

(b) endeavour to harmonise and rationalise operating methodologies for such surveillance.

(2) The Committee may update the procedures established under paragraph (1)(a) from time to time.

(3) The UK public health agency in relation to England, in cooperation with the other UK public health agencies, must—

(a) provide quality assurance by monitoring and evaluating epidemiological surveillance activities to ensure optimal operation of the surveillance; and

(b) maintain databases for any epidemiological surveillance undertaken.

(4) Where the UK public health agency in relation to England—

(a) has received data from another UK public health agency relating to epidemiological surveillance undertaken by that agency under regulation 6(2); and

(b) has analysed that data,

the UK public health agency in relation to England must communicate the results of the analysis to all the UK public health agencies.