| Description | Minutes of a committee appointed following the establishment of the Institute of Public and Environmental Health, itself set up following recommendations in the Acheson Report, to provide a focus for training and research in the broad field of Public Health. The Acheson Report had identified the need to bring together training in the professions of Environmental Health and Public Health Medicine, and the Regional Health Authority and the City of Birmingham asked the University of Birmingham to establish an Institute of Public and Environmental Health funded by the Regional Health Authority and Birmingham City Council respectively.
The objectives of the Institute were teaching; research; the organisation of professional and scientific meetings; and consultancy
The committee's terms of reference were to consider and decide upon proposals for non-award bearing post-experience vocational courses offered with the support and approval of the Institute of Public and Environmental Health; and to advise the Director on the future development of the activities of the Institute
Membership consisted of a Pro-Vice-Chancellor; the Professor of Public Health; the Professor of Environmental Health; the Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology; the Professor of Occupational Health; the Deans of the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry, Science, and Commerce and Social Science; the Regional Director of Public Health for the West Midlands; the Director of Environmental Services of the city of Birmingham or a nominee; members appointed by the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians; a member appointed by the Institute of Environmental Health Officers; and a member co-opted by the chair of the Advisory committee. Student observers drawn from the major courses, and the University's Director of Finance or deputy were also in attendance
Meetings were held once a year. The first meeting was held on 22 June 1922. Minutes of this meeting include a report of the Institute of Public and Environmental Health ; progress reports;copies of promotional leaflets for MSc in Environmental Health and MSc in Public and Environmental Health Sciences; together with an information booklet 'The Midlands and South Western Inter-Regional Training Scheme in Public Health Medicine 1992-1993'; and 'Partners in Health' Report of the Regional Director of Public Health 1992, West Midlands Regional Health Authority
Minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 1993 record the appointment of the Executive Team, and include a copy of the Report of the Director of the Institute. The minutes contain discussion about the expansion of Environmental Health; possible accommodation to co-ordinate activities of the Institute and exploit links with Occupational Health; the research focus of the Institute; and teaching and course issues. There are also copies of programmes for 'Health of the Nation' conferences run by Institute of Public and Environmental Health, on Cancers, and on Sexual Health and AIDS in 1993; a person specification for the Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology; and 'The Midlands and South Western Inter-Regional Training Scheme in Public Health Medicine Information Booklet 1993-1994'
Minutes of the meeting held on 18 April 1994 include a copy of the Institute of Public and Environmental Health Annual Report 1993 as well as income and expenditure figures for 1992-1993 and the budget for 1993-1994. The same reports and statement of accounts for 1994 are included with minutes of the meeting held on 11 May 1995. The committee discussed plans for new building, staffing issues, research projects, and teaching, which were the main points from the Director's annual report.
Minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 1996 include architects drawings by Martin, Ward & Keeling, for a proposed scheme for the Institute building, due to open in September 1997. These minutes also contain references to funding arrangements and include a copy of the Director's Annual Report 1995, with discussion of the main points from this report. Minutes of meetings held on 16 April 1997 and 22 April 1998 include copies of the Director's Annual Report, and minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 1998 mention that the next meeting would be held in the new Institute building
The last meeting of the Advisory Committee was held on 28 April 1999. Minutes of this meeting mention the opening of new building, and comment on the Director's Report, though there is no copy of this report included with the minutes. The committee discussed the future of the Institute of Public and Environmental Health (IPEH) and its Advisory Board in view of the reorganisation of the School.of Medicine. Previously the IPEH had been an alliance of Environmental Health (IPEH Budget Centre) with the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology and the West Midlands Regional Cancer Intelligence Unit. It was proposed that an informal alliance should be set up as a basis for joint action on publicity, fund-raising and collaboration. This would involve the dissolution of the present IPEH, the retention of informal links to work at University, relevant Deans, local authorities and the NHS. It was proposed that current the Advisory Committee should change its role. There is no evidence about any identified successor body |