Royal Society for the Promotion of Health

The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health is the largest and longest-established public health organisation in the United Kingdom. It is completely independent of government and of any special interest. Members are academics, health professionals and practitioners who share an interest in promoting health through their daily work, and come together through Society membership to provide cross-cutting, multidisciplinary perspectives on current health questions.

The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health was founded in 1876 following the Public Health Act of 1875. It was born into a period of great change within the areas of public health provision and sanitary reform to which it contributed significantly. During its first fifty years, The Society became the leading public health organiseation both in Great Britain and the rest of the world. It was soon renowned for events and conferences on pioneering and topical issues, and developed qualifications for people working in public health professions. By the 1950s, the Society was a leading authority in its field, and was regularly consulted by governments and the international press on health-related issues. Since the 1970s, the Society has focused its activities on the most successful areas of its work- examinations, certification, and the Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health.

In 1949, the Society was granted its present armorial bearings.