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Providing Public Health, Environmental, Scientific and Technical Advice to Resilience Partnerships in Scotland

October 2022

5. Composition and structure of STAC

5. Composition and structure of STAC

  1. The STAC should have a standard core membership to ensure consistency, to support a rapid response and for planning purposes. The core membership should normally consist of the following:
    • NHS Board – Director of Public Health (DPH) or Consultant in Public Health Medicine (CPHM)
    • Public Health Scotland (PHS) – Director of Public Health Science or Consultant in Public Health Medicine
    • Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) – Specialist Adviser
    • Local Authority – Senior Environmental Health Representative
    • Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) – if accident involves hazardous material, HAZMAT Officer, or Scientific Adviser if available locally
    • Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Veterinary Adviser – if the incident impacts on animal health and welfare
    • Lead Responder – Liaison Officer to liaise between the STAC and the wider multi-agency (RP) response (usually from Police Scotland)
    • Communications Officer (a representative from the RP Public Communications Group)
  2. As the incident progresses the composition of the STAC can be tailored to reflect the nature, scope and scale of the specific emergency. For example, representation from other organisations, such as Scottish Water, Scottish Ambulance Service and Food Standards Scotland/Food Standards Agency. Technical advisers from installations and assets that are involved in the situation may also be invited.
  3. Unless early circumstances indicate that risks to human health are not considered to be a significant concern, the STAC should initially be chaired by a senior representative of a local NHS Board, normally the Director of Public Health or a Consultant in Public Health Medicine, or if it unfolds into a wider, national context, the chair may be undertaken by Director of Public Health Science or Consultant in Public Health Medicine of Public Health Scotland. The chair of the STAC may pass to another organisation as the emergency progresses based on an assessment of the impact and consequences by the current STAC and RP chairs.
  4. Irrespective of which organisation chairs the STAC, the individual chairperson should have the relevant skills and experience to chair complex technical meetings in a crisis setting, in order to fulfil the remit of the cell in providing coordinated advice. The lead individual should be someone at an appropriate level of seniority within their own organisation. The chair should be able to arrive at a consensus that conveys the combined expert view of the STAC and not of their own organisation.
  5. In order that coordinated work in the STAC continues during periods when the chair is reporting to the RP, a member of the STAC should be briefed to act as deputy chair.
  6. All STAC members and support staff should be competent to undertake the roles assigned to them as part of STAC. Opportunities for specific training and exercising should be maximised to familiarise themselves with the requirements of these roles.
  7. An example list of key organisations that could provide expert advice is at Annex A.

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