National Health Service and how it was reported in 1948

It's almost as challenging to believe that, on the day of its establishment, the new NHS didn't make the main headlines.

In its July 5, 1948, edition, the Bournemouth Echo was more concerned about events in besieged Berlin and the cold summer - the coolest in 26 years.

However, the Echo included the news that because of the nationalisation of the hospitals, the Winton, Moordown and Cornelia Hospital (Poole Hospital) fundraising schemes had been closed after raising £30,000 over ten years.

Two days earlier, in the newspaper of Saturday July 3, the Echo read: “On Monday a new National Health Service comes into force. There will, however, be some delay before all its provisions can be put into full working order.”

And there was much scepticism about whether or not the new system would work. “It will have to be cranked, and a positive effort made by every man and woman concerned.

“In the past our hospitals have relied on a combination of paid and voluntary service to see them through. The system has worked well and must not be allowed to collapse. The new service cannot succeed if the old and tested system of collaboration is allowed to lapse.”

Ironically, on the very same page was a report regarding the opening of the new, much-needed 32-bed ward at the Royal Victoria and West Hants Hospital. “The shortage of beds had for a long time caused considerable anxiety to the board of management,” it read.

Although vast numbers of dentists had initially refused to join the NHS, many other professionals did - by Wednesday July 7 128 Bournemouth area doctors had joined with 18 dentists.

And we reported talks about converting the old US hospital at St Leonards for the NHS.

During just its first week, the minds of the people and professionals were slowly changing as a bright new future for healthcare began to dawn.