Medical Services and the Hospital in Britain, 1860–1939

This book provides an introduction to the development of medical and hospital services in Britain before 1939. Combining thematic and chronological treatments, it considers health and mortality trends, service provision and the issues in professional reform. It will be invaluable to students and teachers seeking a summary of the subject and a guide to further reading.

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How were the medical services organised in Britain in the years before the National Health Service? This short study looks at developments in hospital and primary medical care before World War Two focusing on service delivery and 'the sufferer's agenda' rather than on the concerns of high politics. It considers the influences shaping provision, accessibility and impact in the contexts of contingent risks and social need, health care and social policy. The author examines the recent research in this area, concluding that, despite improvements, substantial reform was an agreed point on the agenda of all interested in health care by the later 1930s, though a positive consensus had not emerged. This book will be invaluable to students and teachers approaching the subject for the first time, and includes a detailed bibliography to assist in further research.