Patrick Stepto, a gynecologist who was instrumental to pioneering that research in a bunny egg. The history of IVF is another example of how women have quite easily been written out of the health service. They used to transport the embryos and the eggs between Oldham and Cambridge in a rabbit to keep them warm. And they got a lot of grumbling from NHS colleagues saying that he was doing it at the expense of his national health practice. I think there was something else on that as well, which is probably again the sort of a sexist thing here as well,. Which was that, you know, women's infertility probably wasn't something that the NHS had to treat.
Most of us in Britain entered the world in an NHS hospital; and most of us will die under the NHS's care, too. It is a cornerstone of our society, embodying the values of equality, compassion, and universal access to healthcare. Since its inception in 1948, the NHS has transformed the lives of millions, pioneering medical breakthroughs, and providing essential care to those in need. However, it has not been without its challenges, as political ideologies and societal changes have shaped its journey.
In this episode political journalist Isabel Hardman and NHS doctor Annabel Sowemimo discuss the remarkable medical accomplishments that have defined the NHS, as well as the tumultuous political battles fought to protect and sustain this cherished institution.
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