Dawson Report: sixty years after the high hopes of 1920

Abstract

Nearly everyone has heard of the Dawson Report although few have read it. Unobtainable for many years, its historical importance was recognised when the King's Fund reprinted it in 1950. It has been described as 'the parent of all regional schemes of health services,' with an influence extending far beyond Britain. Although it was shelved by the government of the day within a few weeks of publication, it can now be seen as a powerful influence on the thinking that went into the creation of the NHS.