Notify Council About Infectious Disease - London Bylaws
London, England requires timely notification of certain infectious diseases so councils and public-health authorities can protect the community. Registered medical practitioners and diagnostic laboratories must notify the local authority's proper officer under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010[1] and the GOV.UK guidance on notifying diseases to the proper officer Notifying diseases to the proper officer[2]. This guide explains when to contact your borough council or the City of London, who enforces notifications, likely sanctions, and practical reporting and appeal steps. Information is current as of February 2026.
When to notify the council
Notification is required for named notifiable infections and exposures that pose a risk to public health; this typically includes severe gastrointestinal infections, measles, meningococcal disease, tuberculosis, and certain laboratory-confirmed pathogens. Local authorities act through the proper officer and environmental health or public-health teams to assess and co-ordinate responses. If you are a clinician or laboratory suspecting or confirming a notifiable disease, notify without delay and follow local public-health instructions.
- Who: Registered medical practitioners and diagnostic laboratories are primary reporters.
- To whom: The local authority "proper officer" or the council's environmental health/public-health team.
- When: Immediately on suspicion or confirmation; follow local instructions for written follow-up.
- What: Specified notifiable diseases and certain exposures listed in the regulations.
Penalties & Enforcement
Enforcement is carried out by the local authority (environmental health or public-health team) and, where relevant, national public-health bodies acting with local partners. The controlling instrument is the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 and associated public-health legislation; specific penalty figures for failure to notify are not specified on the cited pages and should be checked with the proper officer or legal counsel.
The GOV.UK guidance sets out duties and routes for enforcement but does not list fixed fines on its guidance page.
Where offences are set out in legislation, the local authority may seek prosecution, improvement or prohibition orders, or other court remedies.
- Fine amounts: not specified on the cited page.
- Escalation: first, repeat, and continuing offences are treated via enforcement discretion or prosecution; specific statutory ranges are not specified on the cited page.
- Non-monetary sanctions: orders, prohibition notices, seizure, court action, and public-health directions may be used.
- Enforcer & complaints: local authority environmental health/public-health teams (proper officer) handle inspections, complaints, and notifications.
- Appeals/review: appeal routes depend on the specific statutory order or prosecution; time limits for appeal are not specified on the cited page and should be confirmed with the issuing authority.
Applications & Forms
There is no universal application fee or nationally published single form for members of the public; statutory notification is normally carried out by clinicians and laboratories reporting directly to the proper officer. Councils may publish local contact forms or telephone numbers for environmental health. For practitioner reporting procedures consult the local authority proper officer or GOV.UK guidance.
FAQ
- Who must notify a notifiable disease?
- Registered medical practitioners and diagnostic laboratories are primarily responsible for statutory notification to the local authority proper officer.
- How quickly must a council be notified?
- Notifications should be made without delay; councils and proper officers provide local guidance on written follow-up and timescales.
- Can members of the public report concerns?
- Yes, members of the public should report suspected outbreaks or exposures to their local council environmental health or NHS services; clinical notification duties sit with healthcare professionals.
How-To
- Confirm clinical suspicion or laboratory result and identify whether the organism or condition is listed as notifiable.
- Contact the local authority proper officer or environmental health team immediately by telephone and follow any directions provided.
- Follow local instructions for written notification or submission of any required information and retain records of the notification.
- Co-operate with public-health investigations: provide clinical details, assist with contact tracing, and follow control measures advised by the council or UK health authorities.
- If you disagree with an enforcement action, ask the issuing officer in writing for review and seek legal advice about appeal routes.
Key Takeaways
- Notifiable diseases must be reported to the local proper officer promptly.
- Contact your council's environmental health/public-health team for local procedures and contacts.
- Documentation and cooperation with public-health investigations reduce enforcement risk.