RE: PHE approval imminent20 Aug 2020 08:42
"Phe are still there just includes track and trace, all testing, bio centre and new name, but of a shuffle, cash for ceo. They still have to approve, good update on inspection makes sense"
PHE still exists but it's effectively dead in the water - it's a bust flush. It is in the process of being split up. The new NIPH will get Track and Trace, albeit that it will get localised, together with pandemic preparedness. Joint Biosecurity Centre will probably get notifiable causative organisms (although there may be a dual reporting with NIPH) whilst notifiable diseases will likely remain with local authority proper officers. Most of it's other functions (health promotion, substance misuse, immunisations, screening) will go back to the NHS.
In any event, PHE doesn't give approval for the Covid tests. MHRA and the NTAG do.