Some NHS milestones
1947 – Patients had to pay a shilling to see their GP
1948 – Introduction of NHS means seeing the GP is free for all.
1953 – DNA structure revealed, allowing the study of disease caused by defective genes.
1954 – Smoking- a link with cancer established.
1954 – Children in hospital allowed daily visits from parents (previously just two hours each day at weekends).
1958 – Polio and Diphtheria vaccinations introduced for under 15’s.
1960 – First kidney transplant.
1961 – The contraceptive pill is made available.
1962 – First hip replacement.
1967 – Abortion Act introduced (made abortion legal up to 28 weeks).
1968 – First NHS heart transplant.
1972 – CT scans introduced (revolutionising the way doctors examine the body).
1975 – Endorphins discovered (natural pain-killers).
1978 – First Test-tube baby.
1979 – First successful bone marrow transplant.
1980s – MRI scans introduced (provides information on soft tissue allowing to find tumours)
1981 – Improved health of babies.
1987 – Heart, lung and liver transplant.
1988 – Breast screening introduced.
1991 – First NHS Trust established.
1994 – NHS organ donor register set up.
1998 – NHS Direct launches (24hr phone advice)
2000 – NHS walk in centres set up.
2007 – Robotic intervention. (Allowing to treat patients with fast or irregular heartbeats).
Changing Times
• In 1946, half of all births took place at home. By 1958 this figure had fallen to 36%, and by 1970 to just over 12%
• In 1948, a cataract operation would see a patient immobilised for a week, whereas today, eye surgery can be over within 20 minutes and most patients are allowed home the same day.
• Hip replacements were so rare in the 1960s, that the surgeon would ask patients for the replacement back, post-mortem. Now, the NHS carries out more than 1000 replacements a week.
• The first test-tube baby was born in Britain in 1978, whereas today, the NHS sees 6000 born annually.
• With the introduction of the breast screening programme, the NHS now saves the lives of 1,400 women with breast cancer a year.
• Life expectancy at birth in 1948, Males = 66.4 years, Females = 71.2 years. Life expectancy at birth in 1994, Males = 74.2, Females = 79.4
• Infant mortality (deaths under 1yr per 1000 live births) in 1948 = 26,766, in 1994 = 3,979