§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 28 February to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East, if he is now ready to make a statement on the feasibility of making the communicable diseases report more widely available.
§ Sir George Young[pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1980, c. 50]: As I indicated in my answer to the hon. Member on 6 December last—[Vol. 975, c. 311]—we have been considering, in consultation with the Public Health Laboratory Service, the feasibility of making the communicable disease report, or some of the information contained in it, available on a wider basis. As a result of this consultation I have reached the conclusion that any change in the present form of the report would reduce its usefulness to those for whose operational use it is prepared, that is those who have a professional involvement in the diagnosis and prevention of communicable disease. In its present form it is a technical bulletin based on information which may be preliminary and subject to confirmation, and is supplied in professional confidence. Those concerned could not be expected to make such information, which is invaluable for operational purposes, available for a document intended for general publication. Publication might therefore diminish the operational value of the CDR.
524WI have considered the possibility of the introduction of a separate document for wider circulation. This might serve a useful purpose, but its production would make demands on resources which cannot be met in present circumstances.
A great deal of information about outbreaks of infectious diseases is already published weekly in an official publication, the OPGS Monitor. The possibility of including more extensive information in this publication will be considered as occasion arises for any changes, but there is no immediate prospect of this. Retrospective accounts and analyses of outbreaks appear in appropriate medical journals.
Information of immediate general concern about outbreaks of infectious diseases is disseminated by medical officers for environmental health. In appropriate cases the chief medical officer writes direct to all practitioners; and in some circumstances the Department issues press notices. The possible need for such publicity is borne in mind by all concerned in dealing with reports of outbreaks.