to the project, it did not
fund the post of Co-ordinator and this was initially obtained by having a research assistant
seconded from the MRC. This arrangement worked moderately well for the first few
years of the project but the lack of permanence in the post led to a higher turnover of
staff than was desirable. Eventually the tasks of the Co-ordinator were integrated into the
functions of officials in the environmental health directorates. This degree of integration
of the HC philosophy into local government may be regarded as the ‘ideal’, but it can lead
to the role becoming increasingly marginalized among the heavy workload of these officials.