[Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Cambridgeshire County Council.

  • Cambridgeshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1970
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Cambridgeshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    14/90 (page 6)
    To the Chairman and Members of the County Council. Ladies & Gentlemen, 1970 has seen the beginning of the many changes in the are many affairs, so long the matter of report, conjecture and iscuss . gome feelings, some of relief that at last it has all undoubtedly there are of bewilderment at the complexity of the changes envis g ’ oi-t-innq are endan- fears and doubts as must accompany all changes when entrenc e po need a Green gered. I have heard it said that in the area of our County we do not need a Gree Paper, the inference being that we have progressed so far a ong 'j.„nuDt. gration that a workable pattern has evolved which it would e a pJ > aHminiqtra- As in all broad statements there is an element of truth. Un er . coming tive and financial arrangements, however, one can progress ]ust so ar . ^ up against difficulties, the surmounting of which absorbs an unrealis ic ^ time. This is the point we are now reaching, and administrative an inancia change is needed to enable the proper use and deployment of the entire resources available for medical care. Fortunately it is becoming increasingly rea ise ^an recognised that there is no ceiling to the cost of health, only that whic is in ro duced by the limitation of resources. In order, therefore, to offer the consumer the best that can be provided within these constraints, resources must be maximise and priorities ranked; this is one of the main pui’poses behind the impending c anges. It would be an omission of the obvious not to join all those others who have commented in their reports, papers and statements upon the tragedy that health and social services are to part company; it is a political issue and one frankly admitted as such and merits no further comment. Its implications are, however, very much our concern for we must try to stand between what the politicians perforce find themselves having to decree and the consumer who, not withstanding any administrative diffi- culties, expects a first class service in his hour of need. It is as usual we who must see, therefore, that the consumers' interests are safeguarded, most particularly in these times of radical change. The setting up of the local authority social service departments is the first move in a series, which we are told will culminate on April 1st, 1974, bringing into effect the reorganisation of the National Health Service in one administration outside local government on the one hand, and a reorganised local government structure, which will include the social services,on the other. These are indeed mighty changes and for us all, members and officers alike, a great undertaking and a great challenge. Now is the time when some of the most valuable ground work for the future can be undertaken and I would particularly refer to the forging of such links between all the health services and the social services which will stand the disruption and stresses of the next half decade or more. To this task of forging links may I enter a plea for all to apply themselves not only with patience, understanding and humanity, but also with vigour, foresight and broad mindedness. The opportunities are before us, let us seize them and go forward in the coming years from strength to strength. I have every confidence that we shall succeed. The County Council has over the years provided such buildings and services (and envisages in its capital programmes the continuation of such provision) that there is a splendid background against which further developments can take place. It is my hope that the health centres in particular may provide a strong link for the health and social services and one is grateful that it has been possible to enter this new era with such helpful facilities at hand. The report is prepared as usual in conformity with the regulations and the customary circular (DHSS 1/71) issued by the Department of Health & Social Security. I am asked to comment specifically on the following points: (a) Co-ordination and co-operation with other parts of the National Health Service and attachment schemes of local authority nursing staff to family doctors. Successive reports have dealt with these matters and there is a continuing development in this field which includes not only attachment and liaison schemes for family doctors but also in the field of hospital care with regard to services for the elderly and for those suffering from sexually transmitted diseases. (b) The scheme for the notification of congenital defects. This scheme continues to function satisfactorily and requires no further