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The Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Future Development of the Public Health Function made some mention of AIDS in four paragraphs where it was singled "out for special mention".

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The report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Future Development of the Public Health Function defined 'public health' as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organised efforts of society".

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The Ministry of Health Act 1919 established the Ministry of Health. The municipal authorities' health roles expanded to include the provision of infectious disease hospitals, general hospitals and personal health services for vulnerable patient groups and dealing with specific diseases.

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The report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Future Development of the Public Health Function described 1948 as the year which separated much of the public health function from the rest of the NHS, leading to confusion of roles between local and health authorities.

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The report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Future Development of the Public Health Function noted that the problems and difficulty of ensuring coverage of the whole population persisted through the 1974 organisation and had still not been fully resolved.

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The National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 was enacted. Health functions were transferred away from local authorities, although they retained oversight for environmental health and personal social services.

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The Committee of Inquiry into the Future Development of the Public Health Function noted that both the events leading up to its establishment and the AIDS epidemic "remind us of the crucial continuing need for an effective system for the prevention, surveillance and control of communicable disease and infection."

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The report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Future Development of the Public Health Function identified key problems that emerged after 1974: unclear statutory responsibilities, ineffective cooperation between health and local authorities, divided accountability and other issues within the office of the medical officer of environmental health, and a general confusion about roles and responsibilities.

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The Committee of Inquiry into the Future Development of the Public Health Function recommended that the office of the medical officer of environmental health be abolished and that the post of district control of infection officer be established.

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The Committee of Inquiry into the Future Development of the Public Health Function recommended an increase in the number of consultants in public health medicine.

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The first Public Health Act was passed, providing for the establishment of a General Board of Health and of Local Boards of Health, and empowered the latter to appoint a medical officer of health.

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Professor David Armstrong gave evidence to the Inquiry that during the 70s, 80s and 90s the medical community thought that infectious diseases had been removed as a major threat.

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The director of the PHLS, Sir James Howie, was concerned that MOHs no longer had the skills, experience and training, or the time, for adequate infectious disease control.

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The chairman of the PHLS board observed that there were so few medical officers with experience of communicable disease control that active intervention by PHLS laboratories was playing an increasing part in the investigation and control of infectious disease.

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A report supplementary to that of the Public Health and Administration Expert Group expressed the conclusion that the opportunities to establish a regional network of epidemiologists to link the CDSC and proper officers in local authorities, and to complement and supplement the activities of the PHLS, were not grasped until the early 1990s.

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The DHSS issued transitional guidance outlining the new, joint working arrangements, roles, and responsibilities arising from the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973.

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The guidance also advised local authorities to appoint a doctor to be known as the medical officer of environmental health as "proper officer".

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The public health focus shifted from clinical epidemiology, communicable disease control and medical administration to broader societal health issues like lifestyle and education.

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The Health Protection Agency was established.

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The number of public health physician consultants dropped to 405.

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