Whatever Happened to Health Education? Mapping the Grey Literature Collection Inherited by NICE

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) contracted public health historians to assess a collection of grey literature inherited from the Health Development Agency (HDA). The records stem mainly from the HDA's forerunners, the Health Education Authority and the Health Education Council. Material in the collection spans the period 1970-2004, although the majority of records date from the 1980s and 1990s. A broad range of health topics are covered and the main focus of the collection is public health education. The issue of smoking and health is strongly represented throughout the timeline of the collection. From the 1980s, material on HIV/AIDS is equally well represented. Indeed, the AIDS material held in this collection is particularly significant, as the Health Education Authority took responsibility for the national AIDS education campaign from the mid-1980s. The collection offers possibilities for research into the post-war history of public health but its future is currently uncertain.