Nye Bevan's Fight to Create the NHS

When Labour won by a landslide in 1945, Britain was bankrupted by the war, cities & towns had suffered German bombing, and the country was still at war with Japan.

How on Earth then did Aneurin (Nye) Bevan & his team create the NHS when he couldn’t even tell his chancellor how much it would cost? And why did the Tories, doctors, and even Nye’s own party battle against him? 

To celebrate 75 years of the NHS, all is explained in this 4-part documentary series of how a ‘no-good boyo’ from the Welsh Valleys came to create one of Britain’s greatest institutions. 

Narrated by Sian Harries.

Featuring excerpts from the original Nye Bevan 1959 Election Speech and the original Dr Charles Hill ‘The Radio Doctor advises on Christmas Day over-indulgence’ recording (1942).

An Idea Hat Production.

Written by Ian Haig, Kenton Hall, Mark Hayhurst & Dr Carole Reeves.

Based on research for the audio drama, 'Getting Better: The Fight For the NHS', an Audible Original - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Getting-Better-The-Fight-for-the-NHS-Podcast/B09CFFJS79

Readings & interviews: Rhod Gilbert, Kathryn Drysdale, Mike Wozniak, Neve McKintosh, Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Clive Mantle, Annette Badland, Mark Gatiss, Rob James Collier, Charlotte Jakab Hall, Terry Molloy, Colin Baker, Raj Ghatak, Mary Robertson, Sir Marcus Setchell.

Drama Clips from ‘Getting Better’ an Audible Original starring:

- Annette Badland as Mrs Tetlow

- Colin Baker as Dr Charles Hill

- Steve Banks as Jim

- Kathryn Drysdale as Dr Eva Callaway

- Barnaby Eaton-Jones as George Godber

- Nigel Fairs as Herbert Morrison

- Mark Gatiss as Mr Cain

- Raj Ghatak as Lord Moran

- Rhod Gilbert as Nye Bevan

- Rob James-Collier as Dr Reggie Hughes

- Louise Jameson as Matron Unsworth

- Clive Mantle as Sir Wilson Jameson

- Neve McIntosh as Jennie Lee

- Terry Molloy as Lord Horder

- Philip Pope as Newsreader and Presenter

- Tanya Rich as Nurse Vi

- Wink Taylor as Winston Churchill and Alfred Webb-Johnson

- Mike Wozniak as Clement Attlee

Full credits for Getting Better at https://www.ideahat.co.uk/getting-better/

Production Credits:

- Produced by Ian Haig

- Edited by Antoine Kaiserman

- Mixed by Martyn Harries

- Original Music by Alexander White

- Original songs by Andrew Farrington & Andy Rushton

- Additional Music by Audio Network

- Production Co-ordinator: Bex Reichwald Pizzata

- Cover Design by Adam Peters

- Illustration by Kathryn Chorley

Thanks to Robert Norris, Barry O’Donovan, Emma Torrens, Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Lydia Shamah, Katie Arlett, Mariele Runacre-Temple, The British Library, The Aneurin Bevan Society, Jaselle Williams, Adam Freudenheim

Further reading & thanks:

- Nye: The Political Life of Aneurin Bevan, Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds

- In Place of Fear, Nye Bevan

- Aneurin Bevan, Volumes 1 & 2, Michael Foot

- My Life with Nye, Jennie Lee

- Jenne Lee, Patricia Hollis

- ‘Aneurin Bevan & the Socialist Ideal’, Vernon Bogdonor’s Gresham College Lecture, 16/10/21

And finally, a limitless thank you to everyone who does or has worked and volunteered for the NHS. You are all incredible.

Remember, “The NHS will last as long as there are folk with faith left to fight for it."

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