HAPPY BIRTHDAY NHS 5 July 1947 The Appointed Day

The Appointed Day

The Beginnings of the National Health Service in Worcestershire

A short history of how the National Health Service affected the Worcester Royal Infirmary Anastasia Maria Ciccocioppo an ERASMUS+ student of University of Bologna who spent the 2017 summer with The Infirmary and George Marshall Medical Museum on research projects.

Final meeting of Worcester Royal Infirmary General Committee, December 1948 in Berrows Journal. ©Charles Hastings Education Centre

It is common today when talking about health to think of the services available to us being obvious and guaranteed. But, as you can imagine, these modern-day expectations of healthcare were not clearly conceptualized at the time a national service was being contemplated.

When did things change? How did they change and why?  The “appointed day” or the day that would change the way medical care was organized in the United Kingdom was to be 5th July 1948, and next summer Worcester’s Medical Museums will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the NHS foundation.

Looking  back to November, 1946, the war has just ended, hospitals are sending home the last wounded from abroad and Minister Aneurin Bevan is ready to issue the National Health Service Act. 

The plans of the Minister in his political battle for a suitable and efficient health system called for one solution only:  a universal and simplified access to primary healthcare.

Analysis of expenditure, 1950-51 in South Worcestershire region. ©Charles Hastings Education Centre

When in his book, “The Birth of Clinic", the social theorist, Michel Foucault said that “The first task of the doctor is ... political:  the struggle against disease must begin with a war against bad government.” he might have been thinking of a situation such as the one in Britain, post war.

Many doctors initially disagreed with the idea of a NHS and openly beseeched the minister to take a step back when a choice still seemed a possibility, and overstated their case that “some doctors appear unable to recognize the danger resulting from this loss of liberty...”

The sentiment in Worcestershire did not differ from the one of fear felt nationally and this was especially evident when, in regard to a circular announcing the passage of the Infirmary’s administration to the Regional Hospital Board in Birmingham, it was unanimously moved by the last Management Committee that the circular lie on the table, as a sign of protest!

This scene, that at first might appear amusing, powerfully demonstrates the sentiment of disagreement present at the time.

From 5th July 1948, the newborn South Worcestershire Hospital Management Committee, appointed by the Regional Board, would have had as its headquarters at the Royal Infirmary, becoming responsible for a large group of hospitals. Figure 2 shows analysis of expenditure 1950-51 in region’s hospitals under the Committee’s control.

Allocation of beds according to specialty, 1950 & 1951. ©Charles Hastings Education Centre

The apprehension felt by the Management Committee in Worcestershire is understandable; they became the nerve centre for healthcare, taking control of over 2000 beds in the County and more than 1000 of them for mentally ill patients.

Anastasia Maria Ciccocioppo

Autopsy kit on Temporary display at The Infirmary

Over the last four months I have been preparing a display, featuring an autopsy kit, at The Infirmary for my work placement at the University of Worcester.  The kit is currently on loan from the George Marshal Medical Museum. I estimate the kit was in use from the late 19th century.  Professional autopsies became more widely practiced after the 1832 Anatomy Act, which lessened the restrictions on the supply of bodies to dissect. This was indicated from the simplistic design of the tools, as well as the box. The mahogany box with brass buckles, was the fashion from the 19th to early 20th centuries.  ‘J. Hague London’ was inscribed on most of the items, but I have not found any records so far as to indicate who this manufacturer was.

Hook showing the manufacturer 'J Hague. London'

On my first day I was taken into the room where items were stored and shown how to safely handle objects, especially these with blades  This was a completely new and exciting experience, so I was shown the procedures used in storing and keeping track of items.  To find out about the autopsy kit, I went to the George Marshal Medical Museum at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital to look through catalogues of medical equipment.  One catalogue dated back to 1844, so I had to place them on large pillows to support the spines.  The catalogues helped me narrow a point to when the kit is likely to have been in use and the names for the various instruments.  When I was putting up the display the biggest challenge was deciding how to arrange each of the pieces. I wanted to make sure everything was easy to see, but also to use the space evenly, to allow visitors a professional standard of quality.

Mahogany Box with Autopsy Kit 

I look forward to receiving feedback on the display.  Feel free to get in contact with The Infirmary to let us know what you think.  It would also be great if you know of any interesting facts about autopsies in the past or maybe something relating to this kit itself.

Stefan Simpson-Soye, Joint Honours History And Joint Politics: People & Power

WELCOME TO THE TEAM, LAURA!

A little something from our newly-appointed Engagement Fellow, funded by the British Society for the History of Science.

"I applied for the BSHS Engagement Fellowship as I am interested in how the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 impacted social, cultural, medical, and commercial spheres. The subject tags onto my PhD research in the History of Medicine, which focuses on commercial healthcare products between 1870-1920.

"I am intrigued by the fact that, during the pandemic, a number of advertisements for branded medicines claimed to prevent or cure the ‘flu, playing on consumers’ fears. I plan to uncover the local response to the pandemic by researching the impact it had on the Worcester area. The opportunity to work closely with archival material and turn research into different outreach outputs will help me develop my own skills; I aim to gain experience in interpretation and public engagement within the museum sector.

"I am also looking forward to collaborating with Louise at the GMMM, as well as volunteers, on this timely and important project in the centenary year of the pandemic, and am eager to create outputs that challenge visitors' perceptions of the First World War, by highlighting that disease had a greater impact on the death toll than combat."

Laura Mainwaring