45.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), where a diagnosis or recrudescence question arises in any case, the adjudication officer shall forthwith refer that question for report to one or more medical practitioners who, in the case of each of the diseases numbered B6, C15, C17, C18, C22(b), D1, D2, D3, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11 and D12 in Part I of Schedule 1 to the Prescribed Diseases Regulations shall have power, if he or they consider it to be necessary, to do any or all of the following—
(a)to make or cause to be made a radiological examination of the claimant’s lungs;
(b)to obtain the report of a radiologist or other physician on the case;
(c)to make or cause to be made serological or lung function tests or such other tests as he or they consider necessary;
(d)to obtain reports upon the results of such tests.
(2) The adjudication officer may determine a diagnosis or recrudescence question without referring it as provided by paragraph (1) if he is satisfied that such reference can be dispensed with having regard to—
(a)a medical report signed by a medical practitioner on the staff of a hospital at which the claimant is receiving or has received treatment for a condition due to a prescribed disease, or by a medical officer engaged at the place of work where the claimant is or was employed; or
(b)the decision on any similar diagnosis or recrudescence question which has been determined on the consideration of any previous claim or question arising in respect of the same disease suffered by the same person (including the date and terms of any medical reports on which such previous decision was based and of any medical certificates submitted by the claimant),
so however that a reference for report shall not be dispensed with on the grounds specified in sub-paragraph (a) except where a diagnosis question is determined in favour of the claimant or where a recrudescence question arises in connection with a diagnosis question which has been so determined under this regulation.
(3) The adjudication officer may, if he is satisfied that a reference for report as provided in paragraph (1) may be dispensed with on any of the grounds specified in paragraph (2), refer for the decision of an adjudicating medical authority any diagnosis or recrudescence question in connection with a claim in respect of each of the diseases numbered B6, C1.5, C17, C18 and C22(b) in Part I of Schedule 1 to the Prescribed Diseases Regulations, without having referred such a question for report.
(4) Where the adjudication officer is of the opinion that the claim or question submitted to him or any part thereof can be disposed of without determining any diagnosis or recrudescence question, he may make an award or determine that an award cannot be made or may determine the question submitted to him accordingly without referring such diagnosis or recrudescence question for report or before so referring it.
(5) Where the assessed extent of a person’s disablement in respect of a prescribed disease amounts to one per cent. or more and during the period taken into account by that assessment, the beneficiary either—
(a)applies for a review of such assessment; or
(b)makes a further claim for disablement benefit in respect of a fresh attack of the disease,
any recrudescence question arising on such application or further claim instead of being referred for report shall be referred for decision to an adjudicating medical authority together with any disablement question which arises.
(6) The provisions of this regulation apply to an appeal tribunal as they apply to an adjudication officer with the modification that an appeal tribunal, instead of referring a diagnosis or recrudescence question to a medical practitioner in accordance with paragraph (1), shall direct the adjudication officer to refer it to an adjudicating medical authority in accordance with regulation 46 (procedure on receipt of medical report).