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On Call to a Nation

Casting real doctors instead of actors, this film uses scripted scenarios and interviews to see the National Health Service through their eyes. The documentary also shows that there is still division among doctors as to whether the NHS was a sound idea in the first place. (1958)

Available now

1 hour, 12 minutes

Last on

Wed 22 Oct 195820:45
BBC Television Service

Did You Know?

The disastrous effects of smog on the nation's lungs continued to be a major healthcare issue until the arrival of the Clean Air Act of 1956. This legislation followed the severe London smog of 1952, during which 4,000 people died. The Act allowed local authorities to create smokeless zones, with householders encouraged to burn smokeless fuels.

About Archive Programmes

Programmes are selected, in part, for their historical context and reflect the broadcast standards and attitudes of their time, which may not accord to some current BBC editorial guidelines. We aim to select programmes which can be shown in their entirety but in some cases edits are required.

Credits

NarratorColin Wills
ProducerRichard Cawston
WriterRichard Cawston

Broadcast

  • Wed 22 Oct 195820:45
    BBC Television Service

Featured in...

Birth of the National Health Service Collection

Birth of the National Health Service Collection

This programme is online as part of the Birth of the National Health Service Collection.