75 years of NHS: Workington Reverend remembers time before National Health Service

A Cumbrian reverend has shared his memories of the time before the creation of the NHS, on the week of the 75th anniversary of the service's creation.

The newly formed National Health Service began on 5 July 1948. At the time, Reverend Ken Wright from Workington was 10-years-old.

Before the creation of the service, people had to consider the cost before seeking medical treatment.

Mr Wright said: "It was fairly simple. You paid for it. I was fortunate that my mother and father could afford to pay for having my tonsils out and it was buy one get one free because they got adenoids thrown in because to pay for that separately would have been silly."

"I was getting complications with a grumbling appendix and stomach pains and there were various things they tried but they certainly couldn't do exploratory surgery or anything like that." He ended up having an early surgery soon after the NHS was founded. He said: "All I knew was that I was in the hospital being operated on and I was told that it was the king's surgeon that came down to the end of the line at Teddington to prove that he supported the new NHS as at that stage the British Medical Association were dead against it."

To celebrate the 7th anniversary, decorations have been going up around the region. Public buildings will be lit up in blue to mark occasion. Mr Wright continued: "I've had two cancers sorted out through the NHS. I think it is fantastic. I know we're going through a sticky patch but all of our family have been treated very well and I think we are fortunate to be living here at this time having our cares looked after."

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