A look back to how we reported the birth of the NHS in Norfolk
Today, the NHS finds itself under unprecedented strain as the coronavirus pandemic continues its relentless march into all our towns and villages.
It’s now more National Health Survival than National Health Service.
Yet it was so different in the summer of 1948 – Monday, July 5 to be exact – when the National Health Service came into being through the Labour government led by Clement Attlee and his hard-working Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan.
Labour had enjoyed a landslide victory over Winston Churchill’s Conservatives in the 1945, winning 393 seats to 197, and social reform was one of the main reasons for success.
Three years later, Bevan’s dream of providing support for every man, woman and child, “from cradle to grave” became reality. The main changes to the country’s health system included:
- Free medical treatment for us all;
- Nationalisation of hospitals under the Ministry of Health, with regional health authorities being set up;
- A better distribution of GPs, dentists and opticians throughout the country;
- Health centres set up for the provision of maternity care, vaccinations and district nurses etc.
Locally, the Lynn News and Advertiser played an important role in keeping its readers informed on all the new developments and how it would affect them.
Here is the full editorial written in the Friday edition of the newspaper just three days before the launch of the NHS:
Administrative changes of a far-reaching character will take place next Monday, when several new Acts of Parliament dealing with health and welfare services come into operation.
As well as the new National Insurance Act, the National Health Service Act, the National Assistance Act and the Children’s Bill will become law. Simultaneously, the Poor Law Act of 1930 will be repealed and amendments to other acts will come into force.
Under the new legislation, the responsibility for affording outdoor relief to persons in need, payments to persons suffering from tuberculosis and allowances for the blind will pass from Norfolk County Council to the National Assistance Board.
The responsibility for providing institutional care for the sick will similarly pass from the County Council to the Regional Hospital Board.
The County Council will, however, still be mainly responsible for the provision of suitable accommodation for the aged and infirm and for persons needing temporary accommodation owing to some unforeseen circumstance.
The administration of the Lunacy and Mental Deficiency Acts, including the after-care of patients will continue to be the duty of the County Council, who will also be responsible for welfare services for handicapped people, care of mothers and young children, midwifery, health visiting and the provision of domestic help where required.
The County Council will also co-operate fully with voluntary welfare organisations, particularly in connection with the welfare of aged people.
Hundreds of letters praising the staff at our local hospitals have been published in the Lynn News and its predecessors.
Here is one, from July 1948, when the West Norfolk and King’s Lynn Hospital off London Road was voluntarily maintained.
The patient was T. Edwards, from Pentney, who wrote: ‘Having spent several days as a patient in the West Norfolk and King’s Lynn General Hospital, I should like to pay my tribute of thanks to the doctors and staff for all their kindness to me.
‘As for the nurses, they are just wonderful – their devotion to duty and their constant attention, both day and night, to suffering and broken humanity is beyond all praise.
‘I should like them to realise that their loving service is very much appreciated by the patients; this was very evident in the ward where I stayed.
‘The food supplied was excellent and very nicely served up.’
Part II of this look back into the Lynn News archive will be printed next week
