I disagree. Within the NHS, for example, infectious diseases must be notified to the Minister for Health immediately. This is done in writing as the Minister cannot take every phone call and may not even be available.
There are many instances where written notification is specifically required, particularly within national and local government.
I don't think that Barb_D meant that you have to notify a person
in person. Of course it is perfectly possible and acceptable to notify someone of something in writing.
Barb_D only wrote that "notify" cannot be used without an object. The object can be one person or a group of people, but
someone must be on the receiving end of the notification. However, I have just learned that this doesn't apply to all forms of English.
I am not sure how reliable dictionary.com is, but the second entry under "notify" says that the verb can be used without an object in British English:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/notify
I have never heard of this before and "notify" without an object doesn't sound natural to me, but I'd like to know if this is common among British speakers?