Association of Port Health Authorities

The Association of Port Health Authorities is the only UK wide organisation representing the interests of Local Authorities and Port Health Authorities with responsibilities for health controls at sea and airports. They have responsibility to protect the public, environmental and animal health of the UK. Some are specially created local authorities for seaports where the port area is covered by more than one local authority. These authorities carry out a range of health controls at the UK borders. These include checks on imported food, inspecting ships and aircraft for food safety and infectious disease control, as well as general public and environmental health checks. The work is carried out by port health officers (specialist environmental health officers) and veterinarians, who are employed by the local authority or port health authority. Port health authorities carry out checks on food and feed consignments in order to: ensure that only products that are safe to eat enter the food chain, safeguard animal and public health, check compliance with EU rules and international trading standards.

The Association of Port Health Authorities is responsible for health controls at sea and airports, with the primary objective of preventing the introduction into the country of dangerous epidemic, contagious and infectious diseases and ensuring the wholesomeness of imported food.