[Report 1969] / Medical Officer of Health, Brixworth R.D.C.
- Brixworth (England). Rural District Council.
- Date:
- 1969
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1969] / Medical Officer of Health, Brixworth R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![Thus, the environmental control of the district has been maintained satisfactorily throughout the year, but while there is a gradual improvement annually, pressures are constant both in maintaining present standards and in dealing v;ith new problems that occur. The national rise in population, if it continues at its present rate, v/ill result in an increase of 20 million by the year 2000, thereby causing problems of great magnitude in the environment. Already some of those are evident in the United States of America. There v’ill inevitably be increasing pollution of the air, sea, land and inland watervrays: congestion of tlie roads resulting in more deaths from accidents; overcrovrding of the cities vrith overspill and congestion of the countryside: a vast problem of refuse and sewage disposal: housing shortage: the need for more institutions, schools, teachers, hospitals and all the allied services: the problem of noise and its effect on mental health, and finally the ultimate result of overpopulation on the whole mental outlook of its people. .diile it is agreed that population control is a priority in many of the emerging countries, its urgency here has not received the attention it merits. ■.•/hile, at the present time, family planning is, in general, a practice of the more responsible members of the community, we are faced vri.th an inevitable increase of population among the less desirable, \fho as problem families frequently perpetuate themselves by becoming the progenitors of future problem families. There are in this country 250,000 unwanted children born annually and it is lilcely that it is from this source that criminality arises. The successful practice of population control has therefore this twofold purpose, which is both quantitative and qi;»alitative. The year 1869 was notable for proposals for reform in Local Goverrinent structure and changes in the National Health Service. In the former, unitary all purpose authorities combining in Northa.iriptonshire both the Borough and the County v/ould take the place of the twenty two district councils of the County and County Borough. The Health Service was to be unified and its tripartite structure to cease, removing the personal preventive health services from the local authority, but leaving the control of environmental services viith the unitary authority. Finally the socia.1 services, remaining with the local authority, would embrace a number of health functions. This proposed massive reorganisation occupied much thought in the year of this report. Political changes v;hich bme occurred at the time of vrriting may cause some immediate deferral of these plans. However som*reflection on the future of the preventive services and the challenges that have to be faced could be appropriate at this time. It is now over tv^enty years since the inception of the National Health Service. Prom the outset a tripartite structure separating hospital, general practitioner and local authority services was potentially hazardous. The separation of the preventive services from the National Health Service, and the isolation of the medical personnel, allying them with other local government officers rather than their colleagues, has resu],ted in a steady decline in recruitment. Local Authorities have in some instances also](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28957969_0009.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
