Health Development Agency (HDA)
1 April 2000
In Saving lives: our healthier nation the government announced that it would create a new statutory organisation to improve standards in public health.
The Health Development Agency (HDA) was established on 1 April 2000 and possessed the following main functions:
- developing an evidence base for effective action on public health
- building capacity for public health across the NHS, local government, the private and voluntary sectors
- developing standards for multi-professional public health action, linked with government initiatives.
It also had a role in advising the secretary of state on health improvement and reducing health inequalities.
The HDA was the successor to the Health Education Council and, before that, the Health Education Authority. The HDA was abolished in 2005.
Source(s)
Department of Health.
Letter to Chief Executives of Health Authorities and Regional Directors of Public Health.
Department of Health; 2000.