Would better buildings help fix the NHS? The story of Britain's hospitals, from grand designs to counting the costs

When St Helier Hospital in Carshalton opened, it was viewed as the last word in modernist design. Imperial War Museum Archives via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC

Outpatients at St James’ Hospital feel better even before they see the doctor – thanks to a new note in hospital design. ‘Comfort while you wait’ is the new policy, and that means an informal atmosphere, extra comfy chairs, concealed lighting, heated cork floors, and an ultra-modern design throughout. No shades of depressing institutions here.

You might think this description comes from the glossy marketing material for one of today’s cutting-edge private hospitals. In fact, it’s from a 1954 Pathé News clip celebrating one of the earliest buildings designed for Britain’s fledgling National Health Service (NHS) – launched six years earlier on July 5, 1948.