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PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVKR
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
NOTIFICATION
Public Health (Infective Jaundice) Regulations, 1968
On 15th June, 1968, Infective Janudice became notifiable under the abovementioned
Regulations.
Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968
The above-mentioned Act became operative on 1st October, 1968. Part III
of the Act deals with notifiable disease and food poisoning. Previous
provisions relating to the notification procedures for cases of infectious
disease and for cases of food poisoning were different one from another, and
were set out in different statutes (Public Health Act 1916 and Food and Drugs
Act 1955). The 1968 Act repeals the provisions in the 1916 and 1955 Acts
relating to notification procedures and sets out unified procedures.
The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1968
The above-mentioned Regulations, which came into operation on 1st
October, 1968, consolidated into one instrument, with amendments, all existing
regulations relating to the notification and prevention of infectious disease.
The principal changes from earlier Regulations are :-
(a) any obligation to notify a case of disease now rests solely on a
medical practitioner.
(b) changes and additions are made to the list of diseases which are to be
notified. Acute primary pneumonia, acute influenzal pneumonia, and
puerperal pyrexia are no longer to be notified and tetanus and yellow
fever are to be notified for the first time.
(c) leptospirosis, hitherto to be notified only in certain areas, is to be
notified throughout England and Wales.
fd) the powers of a medical officer of health of a district to vaccinate
contacts and persons suffering from smallpox have been extended to
other diseases.
(e) the powers of a local authority to require a person to stop work in
order to prevent spread of infection, are extended to permit action in
cases of food poisoning.