I have been and will be again critical of the amount of rubbish on tv. But on Wednesday watched a brilliant beautifully made programme. It is based on the actual records, letters, newspaper reports of a real London hospital. The stories are woven together so skilfully and the characters draw you in. My favourite drama of the week excellent ! It goes out on Sunday night at 9.0pm. The BBC at its best.
Depicting life 39 years before the NHS. I'm interested in the history, my grandparents were young at that time. There was overcrowding, poor housing and low wages even for those who worked extremely long hours in the docks or the factories.
For most of us the standard of living has improved enormously. The Welfare State set up in 1948 in an attempt to alleviate the worst conditions of poverty, the 5 Giants, Want, Disease,Ignorance, Squalor and Ignorance. Perhaps the most important aspect was the acceptance by the Labour Government elected in 1945 that government had a role to play even in a capitalist society. Something the present government has turned its back on, leaving everything to the ' free market '. Except the banks, the foundation of the ' free market ' have to be rescued by the taxpayer, you and me.