LONDON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The British government's plan to reshape its health organizations has aroused controversy in the country and its effect on Britain's capability to deal with public health emergencies is still unclear.

The government has announced that it will form a new organization, the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP), which will bring together Public Health England (PHE) and NHS (National Health Service) Test and Trace, as well as the analytical capability of the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) under a single leadership team from Aug. 18.

This move came as some local media reported that government ministers have been "unhappy" with PHE's work in dealing with the pandemic.

NEW FOCUS ON FIGHTING PANDEMICS

Many experts within the field have pointed out that several of the PHE's functions, which include tackling obesity and smoking, risk being "sacrificed" as fighting the pandemic takes center-stage in NIHP's focus.

The government has said besides the COVID-19, the newly formed NIHP will also conduct surveillance of all infectious diseases, provide specialistic scientific advice on immunization and countermeasures and carry out emergency response and preparedness to deal with the most severe incidents at national and local level, etc.

"There's no doubt in our minds that pandemic planning, after what's happened, has got to be a priority. However, there is so much more that Public Health England do," Elizabeth Toberty, a GP on the committee for Doctors' Association UK, told Xinhua.

Public Health England was created in 2013 with responsibilities including preparing and responding to health-related emergencies such as pandemics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the body has been "criticised" for its handling of the crisis, according to local media.

But for Sharon White, CEO of the School and Public Health Nurses Association, the government should be looking at why it cut funding for the body in the first place -- and said staff have done all they can with limited budgets.

"If you take the funding away, then tough decisions around PHE has to be made. And none of us are perfect, but it does come down to money," White said.

BAD TIMING?

The PHE is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, and a distinct organization with operational autonomy. It provides government, local government, the NHS, Parliament, industry and the public with evidence-based professional, scientific expertise and support.

Having been a nurse for over 41 years, White described the timing of the reorganization as "poor".

"To try and get the best out of people right now, by disbanding a huge structure, I don't think it is going to get the optimum results at all," White said.

Toberty said that further consultation was needed from the government over the move.

"For us, the Doctors' Association (UK), we've been very clear, and we have called for a judge-led public inquiry into what happened over the pandemic...However, our big concern is over the manner, in which this change (reorganization) is taking place," Toberty said.

IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS

The PHE currently employs around 5,500 staff, made up mostly of scientists, researchers and public health professionals.

Experts are concerned that many teams working under the PHE will be lost without the direction of the body.

"Without the direction of PHE we will struggle but it won't be totally doomed as I said, because you know, we have been through lots of reorganizations in our past and we will continue to work as hard and as productive as possible, but it will impact what we do and how we work without that direction," White said.

For many within the PHE, the pace at which the move is happening with the NIHP, which will be formalized and operating from spring 2021, is of concern.

"We need to do this with an inquiry. We need to do this with the evidence knowing what exactly it is we're trying to improve," Toberty said.