title: Modernizing public health law: protection and enforcement.
abstract: Health protection legislation has been updated through amendments to the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 to take account of emerging diseases and the risk of contamination by adopting an all hazard approach to disease protection. To further strengthen safeguards for protecting health, new health protection powers have been given to local authorities and magistrates. The powers can be used to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases and contamination. Health professionals, including district nurses, need to be aware of the health protection powers. This will enable them to take appropriate decisions in cases where voluntary measures to protect health are not possible.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Science, Swansea University, UK. richard.griffith@swan.ac.uk
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Cassam
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tengnah
mesh_terms: D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006113:United Kingdom