Health Protection Agency

NHS Leeds works very closely with the West Yorkshire Health Protection Unit. The West Yorkshire Health Unit Protection is part of the national Health Protection Agency (HPA) providing specialist health protection advice. It also provides practical support on all health protection matters to NHS trusts, local authorities, community health services (including schools and social services), and other health professionals.

Staff from NHS Leeds (public health specialists, nurses and planners) oversee vaccination programmes and work to reduce the harm caused by infectious diseases (for example influenza) and environmental hazards (for example chemical contamination) in Leeds. They do this by working with the doctors, nurses, and specialists at the West Yorkshire Health Protection Unit.

The aims of the West Yorkshire Health Protection Unit are to:

- reduce mortality and morbidity from communicable diseases;
- reduce adverse health consequences of non-communicable environmental hazards; and 
- provide a public health input into emergency planning.

The West Yorkshire HPU covers the county of West Yorkshire, incorporating the districts of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield.