§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health which bodies have had the prime responsibility for making available medical staff to support local authorities in their functions related to the Control of Disease Act 1984 during the NHS reorganisations of the last five years; and whether funding has followed these changes. [156843]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonLong-standing central guidance has been that the local consultant in communicable disease control (CCDC) should normally be the local authority proper officer for the purposes of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. Local authorities also look to the national health service to provide medical officers for the purposes of the port health regulations which are made, or deemed to be made, under powers in the Act.
460WIn the last five years, CCDCs have been employed by health authorities, primary care trusts (PCTs—which were created in three waves, from April 2000, April 2001 and April 2002) and, from 1 April 2003, the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
From 2003–04, funding previously allocated to health authorities has been made available directly to PCTs. From April 2003, all PCTs which transferred staff to the HPA were top-sliced in line with the expenditure associated with the staff transferred. This included the funding for CCDCs and their teams.