- Doctors have the statutory duty to notify a proper officer of the local authority of suspected cases of certain infectious diseases.
As a general principle, you should disclose anonymised information if practicable, as long as it will serve the purpose.
Different diseases are notifiable in the different jurisdictions across the UK and reporting requirements differ, so you should follow the arrangements where you work. Covid-19 is on the lists of notifiable diseases in all UK jurisdictions and Monkeypox was added as a notifiable disease in England from 8 June 2022.
England
The UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England) publishes a list of notifiable diseases and information on how to report.
Registered medical practitioners must notify the 'proper officer' at their local council or local health protection team of suspected cases of the listed infectious diseases, without waiting for laboratory confirmation.
The completed notification form is sent to the proper officer within three days or, if the case is urgent, contact the proper officer within 24 hours.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
There are some reporting differences in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so members should check the latest position with:
MDU members with concerns about notifiable diseases or their responsibilities to disclose patient information should contact us for specific advice.
This page was correct at publication on 28/04/2022. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.