This list is not exhaustive and provides a brief summary of the roles and responsibilities of other organisations involved in communicable disease control in Northern Ireland.  More detailed information can be obtained from each organisation.

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)

DARD is responsible for regulating and controlling primary production, slaughtering and manufacture of certain foodstuffs. DARD involvement in control of communicable disease includes: control of zoonotic diseases; the provision of a centralised inspectorate for animal health, meat and milk; the assessment and control of microbiological contamination of foodstuffs; surveillance activities on farms animals and foodstuffs; and research and development in the area of food safety.

Department of the Environment (DoE)

Included with the DoE are the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) and the Water Management Unit (WMU)

The DWI has a responsibility to regulate drinking water quality in Northern Ireland under the Water Quality Regulations. These regulations aim to protect human health from adverse effects resulting from the contamination of drinking water. Where regulatory standards have been contravened, procedures, agreed by the Inspectorate, Water Service and DHSSPS, are followed.

The WMU has a statutory duty to regulate and monitor environmental standards of recreational waters. It is responsible for regulating discharge of possible pollutants to watercourses as well as investigation of all reports of water pollution and co-ordination of the response. It undertakes biological monitoring of waterways throughout Northern Ireland.

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS)

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) has an overarching role in relation to public health and is the lead Government Department for the communicable disease control function. This includes developing strategies, establishing policies, standard setting and monitoring their implementation within the Health and Personal Social Services. It also involves advising the public on communicable diseases and vaccination issues.

Public Health Agency

The new Agency began work on 1 April 2009 following the Review of Public Administration, which saw a range of functions in the Health and Social Care system brought together to focus on improving the health and well-being of everyone in Northern Ireland.

Health and Social Services Trusts

The major providers of health and social care are the Health and Social Services  Trusts. Each is responsible for ensuring that effective infection control policies are in place in the Trust and the majority have an Infection Control Committee, whose membership generally includes a consultant microbiologist and the local CCDC. Surveillance and control of hospital acquired infection is the responsibility of the Infection Control Doctor, who is usually a consultant microbiologist, with the assistance of Infection Control Nurses.

The Department for Regional Development (DRD)

Included within DRD is the Water Service (WS) which has a statutory duty to provide water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland. The WS has its own major incident plan which includes arrangements for seeking advice from the CCDC on any health risk to the public and agreeing any control measures to protect the public health. The WS is required to notify the CCDC when exceedance levels for certain parameters are reached.

Environmental Health Departments of District Councils

For the purposes of local government, Northern Ireland is divided into 26 districts in a single-tiered system which was established under the Local Government Act (NI) 1972. District councils are responsible for local environmental services, including environmental health.

The Food Safety Promotion Board (FSPB)

The Food Safety Promotion Board (FSPB) was set up under the terms of the Belfast Agreement in December 1999 and reports to the North South Ministerial Council. The aim of the Board is to protect and improve public health, by fostering and maintaining confidence in the food supply on the island of Ireland, in partnership with others. It does this through: promotion of food safety including the provision of food safety and nutrition advice and guidelines; research into food safety; communication of food alerts including developing response protocols and cross-border emergency response procedures; surveillance of foodborne disease including assessing and analysing surveillance data held by Northern Ireland and Irish authorities; promotion of scientific co-operation and linkages between laboratories; developing cost effective facilities for specialised laboratory testing; and undertaking independent scientific assessments of the safety and hygiene of the food supply.

Food Standards Agency (FSA)

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is an independent food safety Government agency covering all the UK set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000 to protect the public’s health and consumer interests in relation to food.

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI)

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has an important preventive role in work-related zoonoses, biological risks in open farms and in laboratory acquired infection. Frequently it plays a pivotal role in the investigation of outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease and may also be involved in the investigation of other infections which arise from a work undertaking.

Last Updated: 08/04/2009

© Copyright CDSC(NI) 2002