Created in 2016, the UK-PHRST is the primary arm of Her Majesty’s Government to provide and coordinate the UK’s public health response to outbreaks in LMICs. The UK-PHRST is a unique collaboration between Public Health England and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with input from a number of academic partners. The UK-PHRST’s remit covers outbreak response, research, and capacity building, as components of its integrated triple mandate: • Rapidly investigate and respond to disease outbreaks at their source in LMICs eligible for UK Official Development Assistance (ODA), with the aim of stopping a public health threat from becoming a broader health emergency • Conduct research to generate an evidence base for best practice in epidemic preparedness and response • Build capacity for improved and rapid national response to disease outbreaks in LMICs and contribute to supporting implementation of IHR at the request of national governments or international stakeholders such as WHO. The UK-PHRST rapidly deploys a standing team of multidisciplinary public health professionals and researchers as required in countries that are a priority for the UK’s ODA programme. The UK-PHRST full-time Core Deployable Team consists of specialists in epidemiology, laboratory microbiology, infection prevention and control, clinical case management and clinical research, social science, data management and logistical support who are available to deploy within 48 of an approved request. Reservists and Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) Fellows complement this team, providing surge capacity and specialist expertise when needed. The UK-PHRST is financed through UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding through the Department of Health and Social Care. The UK-PHRST Director is the accountable person to the UK Government, through PHE, for delivery of the UK-PHRST objectives.

The UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK -PHRST) has the following main objectives: 1) Within ODA eligible countries to support the rapid investigation and response to disease outbreaks at source, with the aim of stopping a public health threat becoming a health emergency. 2) Conduct rigorous research to aid epidemic preparedness and response and improve future response. 3) Generate an evidence base for best practice in disease outbreak interventions within ODA eligible countries. 4) Train a cadre of public health reservists for the UK -PHRST who can be rapidly deployed to respond to disease outbreaks. 5) Build capacity in-country for an improved and rapid national response to disease outbreaks and contribute to supporting implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR).