About HPSC

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) is Ireland's specialist service for the surveillance of communicable diseases.

HPSC is part of the Health Service Executive and works in partnership with health service providers and sister organisations in Ireland and around the world, to provide the best possible information for the control and prevention of infectious diseases. HPSC strives to protect and improve the health of the Irish population by providing timely information and independent advice, and by carrying out disease surveillance, epidemiological investigation and related research and training.

HPSC Mission Statement

To improve the health of the Irish population by provision of the best possible information on disease including infectious diseases through surveillance and independent advice, epidemiological investigation, research and training.

Functions of HPSC

HPSC has six main areas of responsibility:

1. Surveillance of some of the major communicable diseases. By surveillance, we mean:
   • Collecting data
   • Collating it
   • Analysing it and
   • Communicating information to those who need to know
2. Operational support - providing expert advice to, and responding to requests for support from, departments of public health or hospitals;
3. Training for professionals working in communicable disease control;
4. Research - identifying and developing best practice in communicable diseases;
5. Policy advice - providing advice to government departments and appropriate agencies in relation to the development of standards, guidelines and practices, and promoting the adoption of best practice by different agencies;
6. Public information - providing information on infectious diseases to the public and the media.