1970 - The Institute for Social Studies in Medical Care was established as an independent, non-profit research organisation. Prior to 1970 it was the Medical Care Research Unit of the Institute of Community Studies in Bethnal Green. Its aim was to study the social aspects of health care in ways that had a bearing on social policy. Within this rather broad field the Institute tended to concentrate on three principal areas of research: general practice, maternity services and the needs of elderly people.