Our role

Public Health Wales supports the multi-agency response to such incidents in order to assess and manage any linked public health risks. During an incident, we will:

• Assess the impact on population health to inform the multi-agency response;
• Liaise with other expert agencies, as appropriate, to ensure the provision of proportionate and timely evidence-based advice;
• Recommend measures to protect public health and mitigate the effects of an incident,
• Contribute to a range of multi-agency partnerships such as the Strategic and Recovery Co-ordinating Groups, Scientific and Technical Advice Cell (STAC), Air Quality Cell (AQC) and media cell;
• Advise on the effective communications of public health risks;
• Analyse and evaluate the response proposed by other agencies in terms of the likely impact on public health;
• Facilitate epidemiological follow-up of affected populations and communities as necessary.

For small-scale incidents we will convene an Environmental Incident Management Team (IMT), in line with guidance we have produced, to facilitate co-ordination of the response to protect public health.

For all incidents, we will to apply the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (JESIP) doctrine of 'working together-saving lives-reducing harm' and the Joint Decision Model. This is to ensure a consistent approach to incident risk communication, assessment and management and in turn, the fluid escalation of incidents when appropriate.

Alongside other partner agencies, we play a key role in planning and preparing for these sorts of events. This typically involves us contributing to development of emergency plans and testing procedures through regular training and exercising.