A Chronology of State Medicine, Public Health, Welfare and Related ...

Medicines Commission, which set up the Committee on the Safety of Medicines. See 1972.
1968 Cont 1
1968 cont Hearing Aid Council Act (c.50) established the Hearing Aid Council, and the
registration of persons selling hearing aids. See 1989.
The Committee on The Civil Service (chairman, Lord Fulton), Cmnd.3638, reported on
the recruitment, careers and training of civil servants. A Civil Service Department was set up
in November. See 1994.
In July a conference was held to celebrate the twentieth Anniversary of the NHS (see
Report published by HMSO). Prominent themes were the financing and the possible
reorganisation of the structure of the Service. Despite rising expenditure on the NHS, it was
widely believed that the Service was under-funded and inefficient. Major causes of rising
costs were the improved pay and conditions of nurses and other staff, rising expectations and
demands of the public, costly technological advances in diagnosis and treatment, and
increased demands for care arising from the increasing number of elderly people.
In November the Ministry of Health was amalgamated with the Ministry of Social
Security to form the Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS) with a cabinet
minister, the Secretary of State for Social Services, in charge. See 1988.
The Ministry of Labour became the Department of Employment and Productivity.
The Health Education Council was set up in England and Wales as a non-departmental
body with independent status, and the Scottish Health Education Unit was established within
the Scottish Home and Health Department. See 1987.
The Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting set up. See 1979.
The Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations, Cmnd.3623,
(chairman, Lord Donovan) argued against legal intervention in disputes, and recommended
improved voluntary agreements and arbitration in industrial relations. See 1969.
The Royal Commission on Medical Education 1965-68, Cmnd.3569, (chairman, Lord
Todd) reviewed the future pattern of medical care, undergraduate and postgraduate medical
education and training, and the special problems of the medical schools in London. The
Commission recommended that the number of medical schools in London should be reduced
by amalgamations to six; that each of the six should become an integral part of a multifaculty
university institution; and proposed that there should be four new medical schools in
the provinces. The pattern of professional training after graduation should consist of an intern
year (pre-registration year); three years of general professional training (senior house officer
and registrar); and a period of further or higher professional training varying in length in
different specialties and branches. All doctors should be involved in continuing education
throughout their careers. The Commission suggested that there should be two career grades of
fully responsible doctors in the hospital and specialist services - a specialist grade and a
consultant grade; and that there should be training programmes for general practitioners (see
1976). In discussing training for public health, medical administration, social medicine and
related fields the Commission considered there were sufficient elements in common for these
to be treated as one specialty which it referred to as community medicine. It noted that
"recruitment of doctors to community medicine is at present unsatisfactory" and that "there is
a great need for a professional body which can bring together all the interests, academic and
service, and which has the support and strength to undertake the assessment needed during
and at the end of general professional training". See 1972.
The Committee on Local Authority and Allied Personal Social Services, Cmnd.3703,
(chairman, F Seebohm, later Lord, 1909-90, banker) recommended "a new local authority
department, providing a community based and family oriented service, which will be