The NHS scheme only started on July the 5th 1948, still, before that date, families had to make sure they picked a doctor for themselves. If the doctor proved unable to answer their request, families had to go to the post office and ask which of the doctors participating in the NHS scheme were the nearest. Then, families had to ask their doctor for an application form for each member of the family, fill it in and hand it back to their doctor. The tone of the first part of this video (until 2’26’’) is one of propaganda almost.

Then, in the last part of the video (saying “10 years later”) we get the personnal impressions of a GP ten years after the NHS scheme was introduced. He seems quite unhappy with it, saying his feeling about the NHS is one of “frustration and desillusionment” and that most GPs “just feel let down” as there were a lot of promises that were made as they entered the programme but have remained unkept for a number of years. Subsequently to this, he calls for restrictions in terms of extra-staff, extra-equipment and the improving of premices that had been steadily increasing from 1948 to 1958 following the implementation of the NHS.

Finally, he adds that many young GPs were actually thinking of leaving the UK to emigrate to other countries which was bound to affect the service in return !

National Health Service 1948

In the past, there were all sorts of  Public Health Services like main drainage or water supply.

Everyone makes use of these services and everyone pays for these services. Other services like service street team : all public services.

New personnal Health service organises on national scale and public responsabilities : rate, taxes and national assurance. Everyone will pay for it. Everyone will benefit from it.

When you are ill : you have the choice of a doctor, it goes for the whole family. The scheme is comprehensive. It’s not for helping you when you’re ill but it helps you to keep well. The youngest generation will benefit from it all.