The NHS celebrates 60 years of its existence on July 5. Here are a number of items, culled from the resources of the National Register of Archives, which reflect that achievement, as well as other facets of medical history.
Architect of the NHS
The NHS was born in circumstances of great political controversy. So not much has changed in 60 years. It took one of the post-war Labour government's most combative ministers to steer through the necessary legislation. Nye Bevan's name may have faded in the public consciousness, but expect to hear it invoked frequently over the next few days. Follow the link for fuller details:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P2446
Big numbers
Everything about the NHS is on a massive scale. That is reflected in the NRA indexes where there are currently 1,997 hospitals listed. You can bring them all up on the website by choosing the advanced search option for the organisations index, then choosing the "Health and Social Care" category on the dropdown menu and the "Hospitals" subcategory. Or you can combine it with a search by name or place. Use the link provided below
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/simpleSearch.asp?subjectType=O
Never smile at a crocodile
There are some hospitals that everyone has heard about, none more so than Great Ormond Street. The hospital holds its own archives and you can follow the links given on the ARCHON page below to unravel the story of how the hospital still benefits from the story of Peter Pan, creation of Sir JM Barrie.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=2669
The story continues, in that actor Johnny Depp recently gave £1m to the hospital, in recognition of the life-saving treatment given to his daughter. Back in 2004 Depp appeared in the feature film Finding Neverland, playing none other than...Sir JM Barrie. Coincidence or what? Depp has since been back to the hospital to read children bedtime stories in the persona of Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. Like they'd sleep after that! None of which has anything to do with the NRA, but is too interesting to leave out.
Meanwhile, back in the year 1518
Let's not overlook the considerable prehistory of the NHS. An essential development in modern medicine was the creation of a professional body for practitioners. Follow the links below through to the description on the AIM25 network of the records of the Royal College of Physicians of London
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O31782
Did they really kiss her shadow?
Women have always made an enormous contribution in matters of health, and much of it has been bound up with personal and professional emancipation. There is no bigger name in the history of nursing than the Lady with the Lamp herself. Follow the link for Florence Nightingale, whose 63 entries on the NRA's personal index bear witness to a life spent writing, when not nursing.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P21253
It would be nice to balance that with details of Jamaican-born Mary Seacole (1805-1881), a contemporary of Nightingale. She travelled independently to the Crimea and represented an entirely different approach to nursing. Sadly, the NRA contains no details of any surviving letters and papers for her. Perhaps there is someone out there who knows more?
Alex Ritchie
Information Resources Manager
National Advisory Services
The National Archives
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
020 8392 5330 ext 2606
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