We will improve UKHSA's  efficiency in inclusively responding to emergencies by: developing techniques to measure how the public are reacting to an unfolding emergency; preparing evidence-based answers to the urgent behavioural science questions that are asked in a crisis, including with reference to health inequalities; and testing interventions to help reduce the risk of people developing side-effects from important, protective medicines. Much of our work builds on expertise in using rapid turn around surveys to understand population responses to public health crises, something we have previous used to good effect throughout the coronavirus outbreak, Novichok incident, and multiple other public health crises, extreme events, disasters and terrorist attacks. We work closely with other themes to be ready to respond to future events including power outage, systems failure, climate exacerbated events, disease outbreaks and others, by collecting data in advance that will inform the national response. 

Lead researchers