The Emergency Preparedness and Response HPRU's key goals are:

1. Promote Top-Quality Research: Our main aim is to create a supportive environment for excellent health protection research that addresses the public's needs. 

2. Science-Backed Decisions: We want to provide solid scientific evidence to help decision-makers make informed choices. We'll also make sure the general public has access to this information. 

3. Turn Research into Real Benefits: The research we do should result in tangible benefits for patients, healthcare users, and the wider public. 

4. Boost Research Capabilities: We aim to enhance our ability to conduct outstanding research in health protection and share knowledge and expertise more effectively.

5. Prepared for Emergencies: We'll be ready and equipped to respond to major health crises and new research needs as they arise. 

6. Tackle Inequality: We're committed to addressing inequalities in health and resilience across different communities, especially those that are often overlooked.

7. Engage with Industry: We'll collaborate closely with businesses to ensure our research has a positive impact on both health and the economy.

Our HPRU will have five main areas of focus, all connected to UKHSA's priorities:

PREPARE: This is about getting ready for unexpected events that could seriously affect our health. We'll research how to prepare for eventualities like pandemics, including studying viruses. We'll also look at how to handle large-scale emergencies, like acts of terrorism. This includes improving coordination, figuring out how to distribute resources, and getting better at communicating during these events.

RESPOND: When something happens that threatens people's health, we want to be able to react quickly and effectively. We'll create plans and solutions to help communities deal with these situations, especially when disadvantaged groups are at risk. We'll use advanced technology like Artificial Intelligence to assist us, and we'll work closely with medical experts.

BUILD: This is about building a strong foundation for research and learning. We'll offer opportunities for eight people to do Ph.D. research in this area, and we'll collaborate with other organisations to improve public health preparedness.

PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS: This is about developing the best tools to monitor outbreaks and optimally responding to pandemic threats with solutions that the general public and diverse communities can understand and trust.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: Our research will prioritise fairness and inclusivity, ensuring that it includes all segments of the population. Public input and trust will be essential to our efforts. We will use our research to advocate for fair and improved healthcare, particularly for vulnerable groups

We will also work closely with businesses to find practical applications for our research in addressing current health challenges, aligning our work with industry needs. 

In collaboration with the University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, and Royal Centre for Defence Medicine.