Segment 1 Opening credits. Scenes of NHS services are seen, including an operating theatre, dentist and x-ray. The narrator explains that since the beginning of the NHS in 1948, these services have been available to everyone in Britain. He says the backbone of the NHS is the 23,000 family doctors that work in it. A country village is seen. In the morning, the village's family doctor holds morning surgery in his clinic. He sees patients, including a woman with high blood pressure. He writes her a prescription and she takes it to the chemist. A pharmacist makes the medicine up for her. The narrator explains that each month, the pharmacist sends off all his prescriptions to be checked in a central office; the room is seen, full of women reading prescriptions and typing up notes. Time start: 00:00:00:00 Time end: 00:03:54:19 Length: 00:03:54:19
Segment 2 After morning surgery, the family doctor visits patients in the area. He visits an elderly woman with arthritis. The district nurse also visits people at home, including an elderly man and a woman with a burnt arm. She changes the woman's dressings and also checks the boy's teeth; he has one gold tooth. The doctor and nurse visit a seriously ill woman at home; she is too ill to move to hospital so the district nurse will monitor her. Time start: 00:03:54:19 Time end: 00:07:43:21 Length: 00:03:49:02
Segment 3 The doctor's wife works as his secretary. She keeps him updated by telephone as to which patients he must visit. He visits a little boy with an injured leg, and the narrator points out that he has known most of the village children since they were born. He visits a nearby market town to see patients. He sees a young mother who is over-anxious about her child, who is only teething. He also goes to the hospital to see a patient. The hospital's many services are briefly described. A male patient is seen in traction, as well as the x-ray department, operating theatre and physiotherapy department. The doctor returns to his clinic for the evening surgery. The narrator explains that each patient can choose their own doctor and that each doctor is paid a flat sum for every patient on his books. In the evening, the doctor is reading the paper at home. The telephone rings and he is called out to see a patient. He drives off in his car. End credits. Time start: 00:07:43:21 Time end: 00:12:53:05 Length: 00:05:09:09