Medical Advisory Bodies of the London Hospital

As a result of the "Cogwheel" reports of the late 1960s the pattern of the advisory structure of the Medical Council's Committee of Medicine and Surgery was replaced by Divisions, that of Medicine first meeting in October 1968 and that of Surgery in the following Year. Between 1969 and 1982 further divisions were created: Anaesthesia, Dentistry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pathology and Radiography (later Medical Imaging), Scientific and Technical Services and Paramedical Services.
A further development of this process was the abolition of the Standing Committee of the Medical Council (q.v. LM) and its replacement in 1971 by the Final Medical Committee. This body consists essentially of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Medical Council and representatives of the various divisions; acting as the official medium for the transmission of information and advice between the District Management Team (later Board) and the consultant medical and dental staff. As was the case with the Medical Council, the advisory structure was expanded in 1974 to include all of the District Hospitals. The Final Medical Committee was replaced by the Standing Committee of the Medical Council in February 1989: this was wound up in March 1995. The Divisions were replaced (excepting Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Paramedical Services) by four Strategic Planning Groups: 1. Local Acute Services, 2. Regional Services, 3. Sub-Regional Specialities and 4. Support and Diagnostic Departments.