Here, have a look at this…
See that chap there, coming out of the hospital? He’s had his leg fixed. And do you know how much he had to pay for it?
Nothing! Ha ha!
This is the 5th July, 1948, and from now on, anyone can go and see the doctor if they need to, and they don’t have to worry about paying for it!
My name’s Aneurin Bevan, but my friends call me ‘Nye’…And I’ve spent a long time trying to make this happen!
I was born in a town called Tredegar, in Wales, in 1897.
When I was at school, I stammered and I was shy. But I wanted to learn as much as I could.And I didn’t have time to learn so much – because Tredegar was a mining town.So when I was 13, like most men and boys, I stopped going to school and went to work in the mine. We started work every day at 5.30 in the morning – and we’d spend all day under the ground, digging out coal.
The work we did was difficult, and dangerous, so you might think we were well paid… but no! We had to mind every penny.
That’s why we had to help look after each other. We set up groups like the Tredegar Medical Aid Society.
Because, in those days, you had to pay to visit the doctor!
So all the families gave money to the society every week. And if someone got ill, the society paid for them to see the doctor – and for any medicine they might need.
And we had the union too, of course. We miners all stuck together, to try and get a better deal – like trying to get better pay, or making sure we could have some days off.
While I was still a teenager, I was chosen to be head of our local union! That was tricky, with me being so shy. But I practised giving speeches – up in the hills on my day off, and I gradually became more and more confident.
In fact I was so good at giving speeches, that I tried to get elected to Parliament – and the people of Tredegar voted for me! In 1929, I became an MP!
What I cared about most was trying to make life better for ordinary people. Lots of people lived with illnesses that could have been made better - but they couldn’t afford to see a doctor!
Well, after World War II finished, in 1945, my party won the election. I was made the Minister of Health.
This was my chance to change things. I remembered the Tredegar Medical Aid Society, where everyone paid a little, even if they weren’t ill, and then anybody could go and see the doctor when they needed to.
I believed that’s what we needed, but for everybody – for the whole country!
Some people didn’t like the idea. I had a lot of arguments! But in the end, I managed it.I got all the doctors and hospitals in the country to work as part of the same organisation – and anyone who had a job, paid some money - a tax - to keep it all running. I called it the ‘National Health Service’, the ‘NHS’.
I’m known as ‘the father of the NHS’. And I’m very proud of the work I’ve done!There’s someone else seen the doctor!I hope you’re feeling better, madam!
Video summary
This animated film explores the life of Aneurin Bevan, the Member of Parliament from Wales who successfully established the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948.
Aneurin Bevan, nicknamed 'Nye,' grew up in the mining town of Tredegar, Wales. Having worked in the coal mine from a young age, he became a leader in his local union and eventually an MP.
He was known to be shy and he also had a stammer. However, through practice and with a lot of determination, he became adept at public speaking.
After WW2, Bevan’s political party came to power and he was made Health Minister.
Inspired by Tredegar’s local medical aid society and his desire to improve healthcare for all, Nye spearheaded the creation of the NHS in 1948, ensuring that everyone in the United Kingdom could access medical care without financial worries. Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan is known as 'the father of the NHS’.
Teacher Notes
Additional notes
- The NHS in the UK
The National Health Service (NHS) is an umbrella term for the four health systems that operate in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These systems can vary nation to nation - including having different parameters for what care is covered by each system - but the overarching principle of universal healthcare that is ‘free at the point of use’ is true for all four.
- WW2
The NHS was created very soon after the end of WW2. The war had a big impact on the political and social landscape, as well as how people thought about healthcare. There were lots of war veterans and civilians who needed medical care following the war and people had become increasingly aware that quality healthcare wasn’t guaranteed for everyone - especially those who couldn’t pay. Iit was generally agreed that this was unfair.
After having to endure collective hardship during WW2, the public now expected improvements in their living conditions. There was a sense of social responsibility, as well as a desire for political change. Bevan’s political party, the Labour Party, came to power in the 1945 general election and, at that time, there was a general consensus for social reform, with healthcare as a top priority.
- Stammering
Aneurin Bevan is one of several public figures, past and present, who was known to have a stammer. At the bottom of the page are additional resources about stammering, if you wish to discuss this with pupils.
Be aware of children who may themselves have a stammer or a speech impediment, and ensure sensitivity in discussion.
If stammering is discussed, you may want to explain that it is a way of speaking that is different to how the majority of people speak and to link it to other ways people’s speech can vary (like accents, dialects or sign language).
This film can be used to discuss the role of the NHS and how individuals have shaped our modern nations.
Before the video
- What does the abbreviation NHS stand for?
- What are the benefits of having a national health service?
- How would it feel if you couldn’t afford to see a doctor?
During the video
- Why do you think so many boys had to leave school at 13 to work in the mines?
- Why couldn’t people go to the doctor when they were ill?
- How did Bevan's early experiences, like working in the coal mine, shape his views?
After the video
- Why did Bevan want to create the National Health Service (NHS)?
- What is healthcare? What did the people in Tredegar do to help each other with healthcare?
- Why is it important that everyone, regardless of their background, can go see a doctor when they need to?
- Why do you think that some people were against the idea of a national health service?
- WW2 ended just before the NHS was created. Do you think it changed how people thought about people’s health?
Stammering specific resources from the charity, Stamma
This film will be suitable for teaching History at KS2 in England and Wales and KS2 in Northern Ireland. Also 2nd Level in Scotland.
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