To provide specialist advice to the UK Health Departments on the health response during an influenza pandemic.

The National Influenza Pandemic Committee is the main forum for provision of specialist advice to the UK Health Departments to inform their response to an influenza pandemic. The Committee will play a critical role in ensuring that UK Health Ministers and Government are provided with timely, high quality policy and operational advice and recommendations, to support the health response to an influenza pandemic in the UK.

DH has also established an Influenza Pandemic Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) which will advise on the scientific evidence base for health-related pandemic influenza policies. Members of the UKNIPC will take the work of the Influenza Pandemic SAG into account in its deliberations and in its reports to the UK Health Departments.

Members of the Committee will:

• bring relevant experience to the Committee;
• contribute to the provision of high quality and considered advice to UK Health Ministers;
• be expected to make a full and considered contribution to the work of the Committee and to contribute fully to the debate and to the decision making processes of the Committee;
• provide guidance when an issue which falls within their particular area of expertise is under discussion;
• contribute to the debate in the capacity of a well-informed observer where the issue does not fall within their expertise;
• be prepared, as requested by the Secretariat, occasionally to provide expert advice on relevant issues outside Committee meetings;
• be prepared to attend as required and contribute to the deliberations of the Influenza Pandemic Scientific Advisory Group or other appropriate committees.

In addition to their work on the UKNIPC, members of the Committee may be called upon to attend the Influenza Pandemic SAG or to provide advice on matters arising on which the member's particular expertise may be of assistance to the public service. It is recognised that in a pandemic situation, such requests may need to be made at short notice and that deadlines are likely to be very short.

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