After the disruption caused by COVID-19, the Faculty was delighted to see the return of live, in-person events with the 2022 Henry Cohen History of Medicine Lecture with guest speaker Professor Simon Szreter.
In collaboration with the Liverpool Medical Institution, the Faculty hosted the 2022 Henry Cohen History of Medicine Lecture with guest speaker Professor Simon Szreter who gave his talk on,
Public health and the welfare state in England: a very long-term relationship that needs to be remembered and reinstated.
Professor Szreter delved into the history of Public Health in England, arguing that the welfare state has a history in England long before WW2, Sir William Beveridge, and his reports in 1942 / 1944. He illustrated that the welfare state could actually be charted as far back as 1578, to Queen Elizabeth and her Plague Orders.
You can view the full lecture below or on the Institute's Youtube channel.
A return to in-person events allowed the event to be held in the stunning surroundings of Liverpool's new flagship building, The Spine, named after the striking staircase that runs up the north elevation of the building. Speaking to some of the many attendees before the talk, it was clear that although still weary, they were thrilled to be attending events again and cautiously optimistic that things were returning to normal.
Professor Sally Sheard, recently appointed Executive Dean for Institute of Population Health, chaired the event and remarked,
"It was wonderful to see such a large in person audience for the first Cohen History of Medicine lecture held since 2019. Professor Szreter’s lecture was an excellent example of the benefits of taking the long view of contemporary policy issues. He showed very clearly that historically Britain has been able to provide healthcare and welfare support at a scale now considered unfeasible by some. His work stimulates us to think more carefully about what can be achieved in a post-Covid society."
L-R: James Johnson, President of the Liverpool Medical Institution; Professor Sally Sheard, Executive Dean of the Institute of Population Health; Professor Simon Szreter, University of Cambridge; Professor Graham Kemp, Head of Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science