Concepts
Non-clinical sciences/Stats & evidence · Screening & public health

Notifiable diseases (UK)

What it means

Registered medical practitioners must notify the local UKHSA Health Protection Team on clinical suspicion (don't wait for lab confirmation). Includes measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, TB, whooping cough, food poisoning, acute infectious hepatitis, scarlet fever, COVID-19, and others. HIV and gonorrhoea/chlamydia are NOT notifiable (separate confidential STI surveillance).

Worked example

Suspect measles on clinical grounds → notify the same day; don't wait for serology.

In the exam

A GP suspecting measles must inform the public-health team immediately on clinical suspicion, before any laboratory confirmation.

What settles it

Notify on clinical SUSPICION (not lab confirmation); HIV is notably NOT a notifiable disease.

Classically confused with

Wilson–Jungner screening criteria

Source: Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010; UKHSA