Northern Ireland Region Schools Timeline - 1974

In 1974 there were 7 Group schools of nursing in the Northern Ireland Region of the NHS involving 47 hospitals  in nurse training.  In 1974, nurse training in the United Kingdom as a whole embraced 24 geographical regions  - 15 in  England plus 9 regions covering the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Not forgetting of course the Schools of Nursing of the armed services, each of which used it's own military hospitals.

All were part of the then still mushrooming growth of the NHS following its inception in1948.  An NHS which was to cater for all.  Cradle to the grave. An NHS attempting to cover almost all known medical conditions. Not surprising then that since that beginning there had developed a plethora of nursing specialties, some sub-divided into highly specialized categories, all designed to meet particular needs. The nurses to meet those needs - General, Sick Children's, Mental, and Mental Subnormality Nurses, were, by 1974, being trained under the auspices of the General Nursing Councils. One for England and Wales; one for Scotland; and one for Northern Ireland.

In 1974 there were 27 main qualifications which students of nursing studied and trained for. Which number did not include many highly specialized courses, including university degrees, followed consecutively and concurrently by basic course students and qualified nurses. Midwifery training has always been a feature...

The 1974 timeline is about the schools of nursing which trained the vast majority of nurses who then practiced in the UK.  About the courses. About the students who followed them to become registered nurses. About the awards they gained on the way. About their teachers, including ward staff. About the hospitals. About nursing practice. Above all it is about the reality of the practice of nurse education and training in the '70's. All about it.... Welcome!!


   1 Belfast Northern Group School of Nursing.
   2 Belfast Southern Group School of Nursing.
   3 North Down Group School of Nursing.
   4 Craigavon School of Nursing.
   5 Western Area Group School of Nursing.
   6 Northern Group School of Nursing.
   7 Central School of Psychiatric and Special Care School of Nursing.

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