Working Party on the Future of the Society

Set up in light of proposed changes to the organisation of the NHS and the establishment of the Faculty of Community Medicine by the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK in 1972. In Oct 1971 the Council approved the General Purposes Committee proposal to set up a working party 'to consider the future role, membership and organisation of the Society...'. The initial series of meetings ended on 2 Mar 1972 with the submission of a report. The Working Party was reconvened on 8 Aug 1972 (meeting notes missing) to follow up responses to their original report and prepare further proposals in light of developments in the NHS reorganisation, activities of the Faculty and possible changes in the constitution of the BMA. It became known as the Working Party on Re-organisation. Group and Branch responses to the final proposals were discussed on 1 Feb 1974. (There are no notes of this meeting but resulting recommendations are included). Some of the changes brought about by the review included the change of name to the Society of Community Medicine in 1973, reconstitution, the introduction of a regional structure, abolition of Groups and formation of Specialist Committees in 1974.

Files contain papers on the formation of the Working Party; correspondence of the Chairman Dr Donald J Anderson and the Society Secretary Mr N G T Taylor*; minutes; meeting papers; Branch responses to the Working Party questionnaire on proposals for a regional structure, Jan 1972; Report of the Working Party, Mar 1972; Branch and Group responses to the Report and to the Secretary's memorandum on Society reorganisation containing proposed Regions and Specialist Committees, Sep-Dec 1973; and other related reports and papers covering relations with the Faculty of Community Medicine and BMA and proposed formation of an Association of Community Dentistry.

*This series comprises files kept by Dr Anderson and by the Secretary. Much duplicate material and routine correspondence has been weeded and the two sets integrated in order to provide a coherent narrative. Some notable correspondence of Dr Anderson has been retained.

1971-1974

6 files