Sir John Crofton (1912-2009)
CHEX would like to take this opportunity to present an appreciation of Sir John Crofton who passed away at the beginning of November. This article was submitted by Penny Richardson, Chair of the Lothian Community Health Projects Forum and is the text of a speech delivered at the Lothian Community Health Initiatives Forum AGM which was held on 24 November 2009 in Edinburgh.
Sir John Crofton (1912 – 2009)
John Crofton was a real health hero – up there alongside Marie Curie and Alexander Fleming. His work on TB is well known but his work in the fields of community health and health deprivation are perhaps not so well known. Through our involvement in the Public Health Alliance in Scotland, (PHAS), we were privileged to have known and worked with John and become aware of these other interests and the key role he played in getting the right, but often contentious and uncomfortable, message on to the right agendas
He was always happy to lend his experience, expertise, respectability, knowledge and highly honed political skills to causes and campaigns he believed would make the world a better place. Especially when they were about and for people who were excluded from enjoying the benefits of living in Scotland – good, affordable and well insulated housing, a decent living wage, confidence, a sense of wellbeing and of belonging.
But, there was no swank to him, no side to him at all. He could spot pomposity and grandiosity at a million paces and was never over impressed by rank or status. He also took people as they were and never made assumptions based on their accents or what they did or where they lived. He was very modest and never, ever went on about all his amazing achievements or the enormous number of lives he had saved. It’s true to say that many people involved in PHAS and Community Health Projects had no idea that this wee “superannuated old cough doctor”, (1) as he sometimes called himself, who always seemed much taller and bigger than he actually was, was such a great hero. He was, however, quite well up for using his status behind the scenes especially when overcoming “a certain amount of scepticism from his medical colleagues” (2) and other sceptics in high places!
His interest in and championing of the community development approach to health in the early 1980’s lives on in Edinburgh in the Pilton Community Health Project, which uses this approach to enable local people to identify and tackle the issues which affect their health, and in the PROP Stress Centre, a user led community mental health project, which is all about “helping people grow”. Both organisations continue to develop and flourish to this day. He used his time and position as Chair of the 1984 Scottish Health Education Co-ordinating Committee to support the development of the Health Project. His support was crucial especially at a time when this kind of idea was not politically popular. (2)
He worked so hard making sure that combating the health impact of multiple deprivation was a key principle in Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties (SHAPE). (3) An important SHAPE recommendation was that “priority should be given by health boards, in association with other agencies, in dealing with the health problems associated with multiple deprivation”. He followed this up when he was also a member of the Scottish Health Authorities Revised Priorities for the Eighties and Nineties Committee (SHARPEN). (4) And, of course, he also made sure that alcohol and tobacco and fluoridation were high on the priority listings too.
In February 1990, John was one of the founder members of the Public Health Alliance in Scotland (PHAS), which successfully brokered devolution within the Public Health Alliance. The UK Alliance amalgamated with two other public health organisations to unite the public health movement. This unity led to the establishment of the UKPHA in 1999.
In the early 1990’s, the PHAS Committee prioritised a piece of work on the impact of housing on health. John, then in his early 80s, didn’t hesitate when we invited him to take on the task of setting up and chairing the Advisory Group. He then “took on the enormous task of researching, writing and editing” this seminal report on Housing and Health (5) in conjunction with Shelter.
He was also tireless in supporting and working for the Lothian Health Challenge – in East, Mid and West Lothian and the City of Edinburgh. The Health Challenge used a partnership approach to combatting health inequalities in the early 1990’s.
On a more personal note, John had an ageless quality about him and kept his sense of curiosity, interest in others, keen sense of humour and impatience to the very last. We admired his righteous anger, which he only used when and where it would have maximum impact, and his occasional constructive impatience. We can all remember his drive to get and keep things moving – “Well now, Chair, let’s make a decision and move along” – was sometimes heard at PHAS meetings – always to good effect! And most of all his belief that when we work together, across communities, of interest and geography, building on the expert knowledge and experience of people who live their lives excluded from the mainstream, real, and lasting, changes can be made.
We will all miss him more than we can say but will keep his flag flying as long as we can.
Penny Richardson, Chair of the Lothian Community Health Projects Forum, former Chair of PHAS and former Vice Chair of PHA UK and
David Forbes, Treasurer, UKPHA Scotland
Lizi Irvine, Former Chair of PHAS and former Treasurer of UK Public Health Alliance
David Player, former Chair of PHA UK, and
Helen Tyrell, Secretary, UKPHA Scotland
Lothian Community Health Projects Forum AGM, 24 November 2009, Edinburgh
Sources
1. Acceptance speech on presentation of the Edinburgh Medal 19??
2. Private Troubles and Public Issues: Jane Jones: Community Learning Scotland
3. Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties: Scottish Home and Health Dept. HMSO: 1980
4. Scottish Health Authorities Revised Priorities for the Eighties and Nineties (SHARPEN) Details to be added
5. Housing and Health: John Crofton: PHA in Scotland co-sponsored by Shelter: 1993
Published: 30 Nov 2009
