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The lessons of the First
World War had been learnt by the Second. Even during the darkest hours, the
Beveridge Report was commissioned, reported and accepted, and thus offered
major prospects of improvement in health, education, housing, pensions and
employment to those who would survive and thus a reason to fight for a
better future. The rationing of food, introduced almost from the start of
the war, ensured that there was an equitable, affordable, nutritious diet
available to all - arguably it can be said that this measure was responsible
for a greater effect on improving the health of the population than any
other in the previous 50 years. Certainly the problems of under-nutrition,
such as rickets, almost disappeared. For public health the introduction of
the NHS in 1948 meant that it remained under local government and was no
longer responsible for the management of Local Authority hospitals. The
period between 1948 and 1972 saw a further erosion of public health
responsibilities, when social and environmental services became independent
under their own directorates. 1972 heralded a new era with a change in title
to community medicine. |
