France

Health systems in transition France 27
Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Agency (L’Établissement
de préparation et de réponse aux urgences sanitaires; EPRUS). The Agency
was created to respond to serious health threats in France, as well as around the
world, by facilitating the organization and deployment of health personnel in
the event of a major health crisis. EPRUS maintains a corps of health reservists,
including working and retired health professionals as well as students at the
end of their studies, who are prepared to intervene on the ground in France or
abroad. It also manages France’s strategic pharmaceutical stock.
French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety
(Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et
du travail; ANSES). The ANSES evaluates risks in food, the environment and
workplaces through monitoring, alert, research and investigation. It was created
in July 2010 by the fusion of the French Agency for Health Safety, Environment
and Labour (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire de l’environnement et du
travail) and the Food Safety Agency (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire
des aliments).
Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute (Institut de Radioprotection et
de Sécurité Nucléaire; IRSN). The IRSN was created in 2002 and is under the
joint authority of the ministries of the environment, health, industry, research
and defence. The IRSN’s field of expertise covers all of the risks related to
ionizing radiations used within industry and medicine, as well as natural
radiation rays.
Agency for Information on Hospital Care (Agence technique de l’information
sur l’hospitalisation). The Agency manages the information systematically
collected from all hospital admissions and used for hospital planning
and financing.
National Agency to Support the Performance of Health and Health and
Social Care Institutions (Agence nationale d’appui à la performance des
établissements de santé et médico-sociaux; ANAP). The ANAP provides
advice and support to health and social care organizations for internal
reorganization plans; when facing financial difficulties for asset management;
for merger and acquisition programmes; for assessment, audit and expertise
of strategic plans, with a particular focus on buildings, equipment and the
information systems; and for audits of performance. ANAP is also required to
provide support to the ARSs (see section 2.4) and to the Ministry in charge of
Health in monitoring the performance of health and social care organizations