MANCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY
(Registered Charity No 222800)
C/0 John Rylands University Library, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PP

SESSION 2004/2005

OCTOBER 2004

The Presidential Address of the Public Health Forum of the Manchester Medical Society was held on Thursday 28th October 2004 at 6.00pm in Theatre 4 of the Stopford Building, University of Manchester. In the absence of Dr Chris Harrison (the outgoing President) Dr Rosemary McCann, Honorary Secretary, handed over the medal to the incoming President, Dr Stephen J Watkins (Director of Health, Stockport Primary Care Trust). Dr Watkins then proceeded to give his Presidential Address entitled:-

"Human liberty and human health"

Dr Watkins gave a stimulating lecture which covered the following questions:-

Members of the audience listened attentively and a lively discussion followed the address.

After the lecture the Presidential Dinner was held in honour of Dr Watkins in one of the private dining rooms of the University Refectory. Dr Watkins was joined by members and guests of the Section and a pleasant evening took place.

NOVEMBER 2004

The Public Health Forum of the Manchester Medical Society held a joint meeting with the Public Health Grand Rounds of the Evidence for Population Health, University of Manchester on Thursday 18^th November 2004. The afternoon symposium on "Drugs Misuse" commenced at 2.00 pm and was held in the Manchester Dental Education Centre (MANDEC), University of Manchester.

The meeting was opened by President of the Section, Dr Stephen Watkins, who introduced the speakers and their titles as follows:-

J McVeigh
(Head of Substance Use and Assistant Director of the North West Public Health Observatory, Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University)
and
K Hughes
(Manager of Behavioural Epidemiology, Centre for Public Health,
Liverpool John Moores University)
"Chemical Communities - Predicting Change and Promoting Health"

This talk discussed recent trends in the use of recreational and problematic drugs. It explored how such trends develop and how understanding such developments could help in designing timely interventions to protect health.

Dr M Donmall
(Director, National Drug Evidence Centre, The University of Manchester)
"Perspectives from a growing evidence base"

Mike Donmall and his two colleagues Petra Meier and Sam Weston focussed on the quality and effectiveness of the current drug treatment services. Petra described a study of drop out rates at 3 local treatment centres - in one centre 60% dropped out by the end of the 3rd month. Sam described the overlap between the health service and the criminal justice system. Mandatory drug testing is now in place for certain crimes. It has been found that many of those in contact with the criminal justice system are already in treatment. The speakers concluded that there is clearly a considerable amount of improvement that could be achieved in quality of services.

Sergeant D Gloster
(Divisional Drug Co-ordinator, North Manchester, Greater Manchester Police)
"32 years after the Misuse of drugs Act - What have we achieved?"

Sergeant Gloster's lecture gave a short history on drugs, why the problem has escalated over the last 30 years, the connection between drugs and crime, how drugs are brought into the country, women and drug treatment, drugs and prostitution, drugs and communities, drug effects in different settings, why people die from overdoses in public areas and mandatory drug testing of young persons and adults. Each area was then examined to identify what has been achieved. His lecture also described what the Criminal Justice Intervention Programme is about.

Dr Watkins gave a vote of thanks to the speakers for their excellent, informative lecture, which was seconded by the audience, by way of prolonged applause.

JANUARY 2005

A meeting of the Public Health Forum of the Manchester Medical Society was held on Thursday 27th January 2005 at 6.00 pm in Theatre 4 of the Medical School, University of Manchester.

The President of the Section, Dr Stephen Watkins, opened the meeting which would take the form of a debate entitled:-

"This house believes that the Government choice Agenda for the NHS is diametrically opposite to the reduction of inequalities in health"

For the motion:
Dr A J R Scott-Samuel
(Senior lecturer in Public Health, University of Liverpool)

Against the motion:
Professor P Corrigan
(Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Health)
 

Each speaker presented their respective arguments. There was then a debate amongst the members and guest s of the audience following which each speaker gave a summing up.
There was a vote and the motion as carried by a majority of about 2 to 1.

A vote of thanks was given to both speakers for their excellent contributions.

The customary dinner, which follows the meetings, was cancelled as neither of the speakers could attend.

FEBRUARY 2005

A meeting of the Public health Forum, of the  Manchester Medial Society, was held on Thursday 24th February 2005 at 2.00 pm in the Jubilee Rooms, 2nd Floor Refectory Building, University of Manchester.

As with last year, this meeting hosted the Festival of Public Health Work but also combined the Grand Rounds. The aims of the meeting were:

Members of the Council of the Public Health Forum received thirteen papers at the closing date. After much discussion the following papers were chosen:-

Poster presentations

Pia Feig and Melinda Barone, Manchester Public Health Development Service
"Community health tutor training"

Roger Harrison, Bolton PCT
"Is physical activity associated with geography? A cross sectional study"

"Using locality-based health and lifestyle surveys within health equity audit"

"Developing a local research support network: The Bolton Research Forum in Health and Social Care"

Simon Kelly & Anjana Sahu
"The association between smoking and eye disease;
Quality improvement in health promotion"

Arpana Verma, Trafford PCT/University of Manchester
"GAP analysis of the syllabus for the faculty of Public Health Part 1
examinations and the Manchester web based Masters in
Population Health course"

"Number of admissions prevented by on creasing the uptake of influenza
vaccination in the Trafford over 65's population"

"Using the Manchester web based Masters in Population Health (MPHE)
course for service training and fulfilling training competencies"
 

Oral Presentations

Helen Lewis-Parmar
"Management of deep vein thrombosis at Stockport Foundation
Trust - Changing the D-dimer decision limit"

Ranjana Rani (Helen Tinker presenting)
"Challenges of opportunistic chlamydia screening at
young peoples clinic in Tameside and Glossop"

Roger Harrison
"Who and how many meet recommended levels of
physical activity? A population-based study"

Professor Stephen Horsley facilitated the afternoon and discussed with the audience the public health issues the posters highlighted.

A lively question and answer session followed each oral presentation, led by Professor Horsley. All poster and oral presenters will receive a commemorative certificate.

MARCH 2005

A meeting of the Section of the Public Health Forum of the Manchester Medical Society was held on Thursday 17^th March 2005 at 6.00 pm in Theatre 4 of the Medical School, University of Manchester.

The President, Dr Stephen Watkins, opened the meeting and introduced the evening's speaker and title as follows:-

Professor K Hamilton
(Professor of transport, University of East London)

Kerry Hamilton is Professor of Transport Studies at the University of East London. She has a long established record of research in social aspects of transport. Previously she was Director of Transport and Environment at the London Research Centre (1991-1997) and prior to that (1985-1991) she was Head of Transport Studies at the University of Bradford.

Professor Hamilton began by pointing out that although women make up 50% of the workforce, they receive lower pay than males and their place of residence is dictated by the workplace of their male partners. Over the past 10 years, the percentage of single mothers has increased from 12% to 21%. in terms of transport, women travel proportionately more by walking and the bus whereas men tend to use the car and travel longer distances. In th UK, the increasing use of the car has led to the development of suburbs, which limit work opportunities for women. In some areas of London, the lowest levels of card ownership correlate with the highest levels of traffic pollution. A recent study showed that as many as 20% of those who did not attend outpatient appointments at Newham hospital had a lack of public transport. Those who design new hospitals and health centres need to take local access by public transport into consideration when siting such facilities.

A full and interesting discussion followed the lecture. The President gave vote of thanks to Professor Hamilton for giving a stimulating lecture.

After the lecture, the President, the honorary Secretary (Dr Rosemary McCann) and Professor Hamilton had a meal at a local restaurant.

APRIL 2005

A meeting of the Public Health Forum of the Manchester Medical Society was held on  Thursday 28th April 2005 at 6.00 pm in the Manchester Dental Education Centre (MANDEC), University of Manchester.

Unfortunately due to election period constraints on civil servants, (voting day 5th may 2005) Professor Paul Johnstone was unable to give the Chadwick Lecture as advertised. Therefore, regrettably the meeting was postponed until Thursday 6th October 2005.

However, the President, Dr S Watkins organised an alternative meeting for the evening on the topic:-

"Building for health: How design of buildings and
planning applications can influence public health"

Three speakers kindly agreed, at short notice, to address the Public health Forum as follows:

Jilla Burgess-Allen
(Public Health Researcher, Stockport PCT)
"Review of a course in how public health can influence building design"

Dave Bryant
(Manager Planning policy, Hygarth House, Stockport)
"The sustainability appraisal of the UDP"

Tara Hughes
(Health & Environment Adviser, Hygarth House, Stockport)
"Green roofs and eco-homes"

Each speaker gave vivid illustrations supporting their findings and providing the audience with an insight of issues which require careful examination before decisions are made.

The speakers were well received and a question and answer session took place. Members of the audience then showed their appreciation by way of prolonged applause and the President thanked them individually, once more, for their excellent contributions at such short notice.

OCTOBER 2005

The sixth Chadwick Lecture of the Public Health Forum of the Manchester Medical Society was held on Thursday 6th October 2005 at 6.00 pm in Theatre 4 of the Stopford Building, University of Manchester. This meeting had previously been organised for April 2005 but due to election period constraints had to be postponed until now.

Dr S Watkins, President of the Section, was delighted to introduce the speaker as follows:-

who spoke on

The customary dinner after the meeting did not take place as Professor Johnstone
could not attend.