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

1970 Cont 1
1970 cont In November the Department of the Environment was formed by the
amalgamation of the Ministries of Housing and Local Government, Transport and Public
Buildings and Works.
"Reform of Local Government in England", Cmnd.4276, endorsed many of the
proposals of the Redcliffe-Maud Report (1969), but increased the number of metropolitan
areas to five and deferred decisions on provincial councils. See 1971.
"The National Health Service. The Future Structure of the National Health Service"
(the second English Green Paper) rejected the transference of the administration of the NHS
to local government and proposed that it should be administered by new area health
authorities, with boundaries matching those of the new local authorities, and responsible
directly to the Secretary of State. There would be about 90 area health authorities with one
third of the members appointed by the health professions, one third by the local authorities
and one third and the chairman appointed by the Secretary of State, and 14 or more regional
health councils with members appointed by the area authorities, the professions, the
universities and the Secretary of State. In most areas there would be district advisory
committees with no statutory powers or independent budget. The Paper outlined the tasks of
the "community physician" combining those of the medical staff at the previous regional
hospital boards with those of the local health authorities, with emphasis on the development
of information about health needs and the working of the health services. The need for a
Health Commissioner (ombudsman) was raised but no decision was taken in the paper. See
1971.
"National Health Service. The Reorganisation of the Health Service in Wales" was
published by the Welsh Office as a green paper.
The Review Body on Local Government in Northern Ireland reported (Cmnd.546,
Belfast).
The Committee on Domiciliary Midwifery and Maternity Bed Needs (chairman, Sir
John Peel) recommended the unification of the hospital and community maternity services
and that sufficient facilities should be provided so that all deliveries could take place in
hospital, stating that "the greater safety of hospital confinement for mother and child justifies
this objective". See 1973 and 1997.
The Working Party on the Hospital Pharmaceutical Services (chairman, Sir Noel Hall)
made recommendations about the organisation, training and career structure of hospital
pharmacists and their supporting staff. See 1986.
Scottish Home and Health Department published a Report of the Scottish Health
Services Council on Services for the Elderly with Mental Disorder (chairman, Professor WM
Millar). See 1979.
The Council for Postgraduate Medical Education in England and Wales and the
Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical Education formed to coordinate the views of the
medical profession, the NHS and the government; and to stimulate the development of
medical and dental postgraduate education and specialist training (see 1967). See 1987 and
1988.
The Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine issued a report from its
Remedial Professions Committee (chairman, JA Oddie). See 1973.
The Joint Board of Clinical Nursing Studies was set up to "consider and advise on the
needs of nurses and midwives for post-certificate clinical training in specialised departments
of the hospital service in England and Wales, and to coordinate and supervise the courses
provided as a result of such advice". See 1972.