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

The Government published a policy document, "Better Services for the Mentally Ill",
Cmnd.6233, emphasising the need for a community-based system of treatment, care and
1975 Cont 1
1975 cont support; for an increase in the numbers of doctors, nurses and social workers
involved; and improved standards of care in the hospitals still in use. See 1977.
The National Development Group for Mentally Handicapped People was set up to lead
the way to better standards in the services for mentally handicapped people. The Group was
disbanded in 1980.
Following industrial disputes over private practice in NHS hospitals the Government
issued a consultative document, "The Separation of Private Practice from National Health
Service Hospitals", which set out proposals to reduce the number of pay beds in NHS
hospitals and to control developments in private practice. See 1976.
The Department of Health and Social Security published a "Guide to Planning in the
National Health Service" setting out the concepts and steps to be taken in annual and strategic
planning. See 1976.
The Committee of Inquiry into the Regulation of the Medical Profession, Cmnd.6018,
(chairman, AW Merrison, later Sir Alec) reviewed the regulation of medical education,
fitness to practice, professional conduct and the structure and function of the General Medical
Council. The committee thought that the current regulation of undergraduate education was
broadly satisfactory and considered "that the next phase, that of making a clinician of the
graduate, requires radical reorganisation." The committee recommended that graduation
should lead to restricted registration and that completion of graduate clinical training to
general registration, which should be followed by a period of specialist training, including
general practice, leading to specialist registration by the General Medical Council - a
precondition for the independent practice of medicine. The committee stated that the Council
should be independent and predominantly professional, financed mainly by the medical
profession. See 1976 and 1978.
The General Medical Council introduced the Temporary Registration Assessment
Board (TRAB) to assess the professional knowledge and ability in English language of
doctors from overseas. In 1979 the name of the Board was changed to Professional and
Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB).
General practitioners started providing free contraceptive advice and supplies after
negotiating an extra "item for service" payment.
Hospital consultants began working strictly to their contracts before being awarded,
together with other doctors in the NHS, pay rises averaging 30 per cent.
The Halsbury Committee of Inquiry into the Pay of the Paramedical Professions
(chairman, Lord Halsbury) recommended substantial increases in pay.
Royal College of Radiologists formed from the Faculty of Radiologists.
Nine cases of diphtheria, one fatal, were reported; and the first case of Lassa fever, in a
doctor returned from Nigeria, notified.
Ninth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases introduced some major
changes and additions which came into use for records recording events in 1979.
Live birth weight information began to be collected by the registration service.
"National Health Service. Staff Commission Report (1972-75)", published by the
Department of Health and Social Security, set out the procedures followed and the experience
gained in appointing all of the senior officers in the re-organised NHS.
The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys published the first volume in a series
"Population Trends".