Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984

Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to the control of disease and to the establishment and functions of port health authorities, including enactments relating to burial and cremation and to the regulation of common lodging–houses and canal boats, with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Law Commission.
Citation1984 c. 22
Territorial extent England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent26 June 1984
Commencement26 September 1984
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (c. 22) is a piece of legislation for England and Wales which requires physicians to notify the 'proper officer' of the local authority of any person deemed to be suffering from a notifiable disease.[1][2] It also provides powers to isolate infected individuals to prevent the spread of such a disease. The act forms the basis of various legislation connected to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[3]

  1. ^ Stephen Monaghan (2002). The State of Communicable Disease Law. London: The Nuffield Trust. ISBN 1-902089-68-5
  2. ^ "Notifiable diseases and causative organisms: how to report". GOV.UK. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  3. ^ Griffith, Richard (12 March 2020). "Using public health law to contain the spread of COVID-19". British Journal of Nursing. 29 (5): 326–327. doi:10.12968/bjon.2020.29.5.326. ISSN 0966-0461. PMID 32167816. S2CID 212709259.