South East Metropolitan Region Schools Timeline - 1974

In 1974 there were 30 Schools/combined schools of nursing in the SE Metropolitan Region of the NHS involving 117 hospitals in nurse training - spread across 23 geographical regions of the UK. 13 regions in  England - plus 7 regions covering the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Wales and Scotland. 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 Ashford Hospital Hospitals School of Nursing
  2 Benenden Chest Hospital School of Nursing.
  3 The Bethlem Royal & Maudsley Hospitals School of Nursing.
  4 Bexley Hospital School of Nursing.
  5 Brighton School of Nursing.
  6 Bromley Group School of Nursing.
  7 Canterbury District Hospital School of Nursing.
  8 Cray Valley and Sevenoaks School of Nursing.
  9 Cuckfield Hospital School of Nursing.
10 Dartford and Darenth School of Nursing.
11 Dover Hospitals School of Nursing.
12 Dreadnaught School of Nursing.
13 Eastbourne School of Nursing.
14 Folkestone Group Hospitals School of Nursing.
15 Gravesend School of Nursing.
16 Greenwich District Hospital Education Centre.
17 Guy's Hospital Group School of Nursing.
18 Hastings Group School of Nursing.
19 Hellingly Hospital School of Nursing.
20 Isle of Thant Group School of Nursing.
21 King's College Hospital School of Nursing.
22 Lawson School of Nursing.
23 Lewisham Group School of Nursing.
24 Linton Hospital School of Nursing.
25 Medway School of Nursing
26 Oakwood Hospital School of Nursing.
27 St Francis Hospital School of Nursing.
28 Tunbridge Wells and Leybourne School of Nursing.
29 West Kent General Hospital School of Nursing.
30 Woolwich Group School of Nursing.
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