Health and Social Services: Appointment of Deputy Medical Officer of Health

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A decision made on 30 January 2020

Decision Reference: MD-HSS-2020-0004
Decision Summary Title :	Appointment to the position of Deputy Medical Officer of Health		Date of Decision Summary:	27 January 2020
Decision Summary Author:	Assistant Director – Policy and Ministerial Support (HSSD)		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Oral		Person Giving Oral Report:	Medical Officer of Health
Written Report Title :	n/a		Date of Written Report:	n/a
Written Report Author:	n/a		Written Report: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	n/a
Subject: Appointment to the position of Deputy Medical Officer of Health.
Decision(s): The Minister for Health and Social Services appointed Dr Ivan Muscat, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, as a Deputy Medical Officer of Health with immediate effect.
Reason(s) for Decision: This appointment continues the existing arrangements whereby a Medical Consultant acts-up and exercises the functions of the Medical Officer of Health should the need arise. It is advantageous to have one or more Medical Consultants officially designated as a Deputy Medical Officer of Health should urgent medical public health advice be required, the statutory functions of the Medical Officer of Health need to be exercised or if, for example, an emergency incident situation arises. The Medical Officer of Health has nominated Dr Ivan Muscat to act as a Deputy, given that many of the laws and powers that may need to be invoked urgently in her absence are in the realm of protecting the population from infectious/communicable disease. As the Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, Dr Muscat is an appropriate person to formally appoint to the position of Deputy Medical Officer of Health. This is in addition to the earlier appointment of Dr John McInerney, GMC Responsible Officer and Consultant in Emergency Medicine, as a Deputy Medical Officer of Health [MD-HSS-2019-0026], which continues.
Resource Implications: There are no financial or manpower implications as Dr Muscat is already undertaking the role of Consultant in Communicable Disease Control.
Action required: Dr Muscat to be confirmed in his appointment.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):