State policies and the development of the hospital services of North East England, 1948–1982

Abstract

This paper considers the development since 1948 of the non-psychiatric hospital services in the area served by the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board (Northern RHA since 1974). Following a brief account of the historical development of these services, the evidence is presented in four main sections. An account is given, first, of hospital provision prior to 1948; then of developments from 1948 to 1962, the year of the announcement of the Hospital Plan; some of the problems encountered in implementing this plan are then discussed; and finally, changes in hospital policy from 1974 to 1982 are examined.