The medical officer of environmental health largely replaced the duties of the medical officer of health, a statutory officer with responsibilities to the local authority in preventing disease, which was discontinued following the reorganisation of the National Health Service Act of 1973.^[1][2] They are the proper officer recognised by the local authority under the Public Health Acts.^[3] Ayliffe's (1981) explains that "some diseases are notifiable by law to the Medical Officer for Environmental Health; the doctor who diagnoses the infection is responsible for the notification."^[4] The medical officer of environmental health then in turn informs the Chief Medical Officer.^[5]