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To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the London Borough of Islington
INTRODUCTION
In 1972, as in the immediately preceding years, the developing plans for the reorganisation of the
National Health Service continued to occupy a dominant position in the minds of those engaged in every
branch of that service, but perhaps more particularly so in the case of local authority health service staff
who are facing changes of the most far-reaching kind. It was not until the autumn that one major source
of uncertainty was removed by the publication - in October - of the Secretary of State's decision as to the
regional and area structure for the new N.H.S. organisation in London. Although reservations were felt by
some regarding the details of the decision and, in particular, the refusal of the Secretary of State to accept
the case made by the London Boroughs Association for health areas corresponding on a one to one basis
with the London Boroughs, nevertheless the decision ended uncertainty and allowed the commencement of
preparation for the reorganisation in which London had been falling behind the rest of the country. In the
case of Islington, the proposed combination with the neighbouring borough of Camden had been expected
and was accepted by both borough councils as a logical combination in the circumstances. In December the
constitution of the Joint Liaison Committee for the new Health Area was fixed,although the first meeting
was not to be held until early January 1973.
Concurrently with these developments the personal health services, for which the borough will
continue to remain responsible until 31.3.74, continued to progress and amongst the developments worthy
of particular mention the following stand out.
(i) Family Planning Service
The decision to remove all charges for family planning services in the borough which had been taken in
the autumn of 1971 was implemented on April 1st, 1972, and was immediately successful in achieving its
objective. Figures analysed after six months of the free service indicated that the rate at which the public
use of the service had been growing had doubled and that a substantial proportion of the new cases had not
previously been receiving any professional advice. The borough's wish to extend its family planning service
by offering free vasectomy in appropriate cases was obstructed by the then state of the law but a Private
Members Bill, which the borough's M.P.'s supported in the House of Commons, completed its passage
through Parliament in the autumn and as a result the final legal obstacle to a totally free and comprehensive
family planning service in Islington and other progressive local authorities was removed. It is regrettable to
have to add that when,on April 1st, 1974, the National Health Service Reorganisation Act becomes operative
and responsibility for providing family planning services will pass to the new Area Health Authorities,
apart from the general exemption provisions in cases of hardship, etc., the standard prescription charges will
be levied for family planning requisites as for other drugs and appliances prescribed under the health
service. This clearly represents a set back for those local authorities currently providing a totally free service.
The authorities concerned, now a substantial number within London and the provinces, will undoubtedly be
examining methods whereby their residents can continue to enjoy the benefits of a free family planning
service and it is greatly to be hoped that some means can be found of avoiding what can only be regarded as
a retrograde step.
(ii) Noise Control
Growing concern regarding the effect of noise in the borough led the Health Committee in January
1972 to initiate a noise survey of the borough in the carrying out of which help was sought from the local
secondary schools. Following a meeting with teachers attended by the Chairman of the Health Committee a
number of the schools agreed to co-operate by including the survey as part of their science or environmental
studies curricula. The survey involved firstly the sending out of leaflets to each dwelling in the borough, these
were accompanied by an invitation to return forms indicating particular noise complaints, and secondly the
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