National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978

14Designated medical officers

(1)Every Health Board shall, in accordance with regulations, designate a medical officer or officers of the Board for the purpose of exercising such functions on behalf of local authorities as may be assigned to him by or under any enactment and such other functions as local authorities may, with the agreement of the Health Board, assign to him.

(2)Any such medical officer shall, in any enactment, be known as " the designated medical officer ".

(3)A designated medical officer may exercise any powers conferred by any enactment on an authorised officer of a local authority if the local authority authorises him in writing to do so.

(4)A designated medical officer may appoint one or more persons approved by the Board to act as his depute or deputes, and all things required or authorised by law to be done by or to the designated medical officer may be done by or to any depute so appointed by him; and any reference in any enactment or instrument made under any enactment to the designated medical officer shall, where the depute is acting for the officer, include a reference to the depute.