Production

‘Can We Afford The Doctor?’ was developed in 1985 from recorded interviews with older people about their memories of coping with illness in the days before the National Health Service.

Some remembered being children on isolation wards recovering from diphtheria, others remembered coping with illness as mothers of large families, where money was always short. Many recalled the poor housing conditions under which they lived, with damp walls and poor sanitation. The presence of the interviewees in rehearsals made for maximum authenticity of the final production.

This project included recording the memories of doctors attending patients at home and in hospital, and nurses and midwives who worked in hospitals or in the community. Patients and professionals recalled the enormous impact of the National Health Service on their lives and expressed their anxiety concerning any erosion of the free services which created a more equal society.

The film of the making of ‘Can We Afford The Doctor?’ can be viewed below and the script of the play (both 1985 and 1998 versions) can be read via the link below.