Dr Salter's NHS before the NHS

I hope the NHS is in safe hands and that the shortcomings exposed in the pandemic are fixed. The Blip today reflects the work of early pioneers in Bermondsey concerned about the welfare of their community.

The Blip is of statues created by Diane Gorvin. They are located downstream from the Shard and Tower Bridge on the south bank of the Thames.

They are called ' Dr Salter's Daydream". The artist has portrayed Dr Salter in old age imaging his wife Ada, daughter Joyce and their cat as they once were, in happier times. Their daughter Joyce died at the age of eight from scarlet fever but Alfred and Ada stayed put to serve the people of Bermondsey a very deprived area of South London.

Alfred became MP for Bermondsey and Ada became the first woman mayor in London and the first woman mayor in Britain.. Alfred pushed through a slum clearance programme. Ada was in charge of designing model council houses.They had many other successes in improving things for the local people.

Alfred promoted free medical treatment in the 1920/30s using modern methods. He introduced a health centre, and a solarium for TB suffers and educational films on hygiene that were shown from vans on street corners.