The history of the National Health Service told through the story of the first purpose-built NHS hospital, the QEII in Welwyn Garden City.

The history of the National Health Service told through the story of one hospital, the QEII, which was opened by the Queen in Welwyn Garden City in 1963.

Fifteen years earlier, on July 5th 1948, the National Health Service had been launched, taking control of nearly 480 000 hospital beds in England and Wales, with 125,000 nurses and 5,000 consultants as well as GPs, dentists and other health professionals. Minister of Health Aneurin Bevan described it as "the biggest single experiment in social service that the world has ever seen undertaken".

The QEII - the first all-purpose, district general NHS hospital - opened with some 100 beds to meet the needs of a rapidly increasing population, many from London who had relocated to the new Garden City.

In the summer of 2015, the old hospital was closed down as part of a centralisation of health services by East and North Herts NHS Trust, with in-patients services moved out to the Lister Hospital at Stevenage and outpatients services moved into the new QEII hospital on the same site.

Cradle to Grave captures the sounds of the old QEII hospital during its last days and gathers the memories of hospital staff and patients, past and present. Other contributors include Dr Geoffrey Rivett who, as well as starting his career as a hospital doctor in the new health services, has written a definitive history of the NHS.

Produced by Sara Parker

A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.