title: A national public health service.
abstract: The development of the British public health services is briefly reviewed and it is suggested that two types of epidemiologist (Community Physician) are necessary in each locality: one concerned with medical administration and health care planning-the medical administrator, and the other with the prevention of disease-the clinical epidemiologist. A new nation public health service is proposed to revive disease prevention with four main features: (1) A district Clinical Epidemiologist who is a member of the district department of community medicine with responsibility for prevention but with no district administrative duties. (2) A District Epidemiology Unit comprising other appropriate staff. (3) National specialist epidemiology units within the NHS with service roles to support and coordinate the District Clinical Epidemiologists. (4) A national authority within the NHS with responsibility for prevention and for administering the national specialist units.
mesh_terms: D003154:Community Medicine; D004813:Epidemiology; D006298:Health Services Administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D011634:Public Health / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce