The CIEH is asking members’ views to help formulate our response to the draft health protection regulations to be made under the amended Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.
CIEH Principal Policy Officer Ian Gray will be collating responses on behalf of members and making the formal submission to the Department of Health (DH).
Ian said:
“We have already been involved in earlier consultations prior to the drafting of these regulations. This legislation operates in some of the most serious and sensitive areas of public health control, requiring multi-agency action on an urgent and even emergency basis. It is important that environmental health practitioners consider carefully how these proposals will assist them in their various roles and responsibilities.”
The regulations take forward the process of modernising health protection legislation in England, started by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 which replaced outdated measures in the 1984 Act with a new, modernised framework for health protection. The 2008 Act introduced an “all hazards” approach with more flexible powers and improved safeguards for people who might be affected by them.
The proposals are for three sets of regulations to cover
- requirements for notification of disease caused by infection or contamination by chemicals or radiation
- measures to allow prompt investigation and response
- evidential requirements and safeguards for people who might be subject to a JP order
- updated local authority powers to protect public health
The consultation does not cover "port health" aspects, which will be the subject of a later consultation exercise.
The consultation closing date and the deadline to send responses in is 30 September 2009. The draft regulations, consultation document, impact assessments, and form for responding to the consultation can be found on the DH web site.
CIEH members are requested to send their views to Ian Gray at i.gray@cieh.org by ** September.