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Woman's Hour 1946-
Weekly current affairs and general interest magazine series for women.By the 1980s it was joined by Weekend Woman's Hour, on Sundays at 11.15 am.
- Broadcast details
- Radio 4, 7 October 1946 on BBC Radio Light Programme. Transferred to Radio 4 in 1973 Note: In 1967 the Light Programme had been replaced by Radios 1 and 2 and the Home Service with Radio 4. (58 minutes)
- Production company
- BBC
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs series
- Presenter
- Presenters: Sue MacGregor 1972-1987;Jenni Murray 1987-;Presenters of Weekend Woman's Hour in the 1980s included June Knox-Mawer
- Notes
- For the 'No Such' project we sampled Woman's Hourprogrammes from 1979/80; 1983; 1985 and 1989.
see David Hendy Life on Air: A History of Radio Four, 2007, OUP, p332.
Doctors in Trouble
From Wales: Valley Doctors are leaving because they can't cope with the workload.
- Broadcast date
- 13 July 1979
- Medium
- Radio
- Credits
- Introduced by Bray, Noreen
- Cast
- Dr Hill, Stan; Richards, Tim
There & Back (recovering from Mental Illness)
- Broadcast date
- 29 July 1979
- Medium
- Radio
- Producer
- Mary Redcliffe;Liz Mardall
- Credits
- June Knox-Mawer
- Cast
- Jameson, Richard
Sue Hemming 'nurse of the year' talks about her work in the community
Sue Hemming joined Jenni Murray (Live) in the Bristol studio to talk about her award as ‘Nurse of the Year’
- Broadcast date
- 24 August 1979
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Hemming, Sue
Talking Point. Patient participation
live discussion
- Broadcast date
- 15 January 1980
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Pat Taylor;Diane Stenson
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Stapleton, Mary
Talking Point. Report on hospitals for the mentally ill
- Broadcast date
- 21 February 1980
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Chris Riley;Chris Longley
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Smythe, Tony; McLoughlin, Catherine;
The Incubabies
Cy Percival joins Manchester’s unique ambulance incubator team and reports on the team in action.
- Broadcast date
- 28 March 1980
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Diana Stenson
- Presenter
- Marjorie Lofthouse
- Cast
- Percival, Cy;
Doctor Lotte Newman
Dr Lotte Newman of the Medical Womans Federation talks to Sue MacGregor on the Centenery of the first meeting of the Registered Medical Women.
- Broadcast date
- 28 May 1980
- Medium
- Radio
- Producer
- Mary Redcliffe
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Newman, Dr Lotte;
Here & Now
Richard Jameson discusses mental illness.
- Broadcast date
- 1 June 1980
- Medium
- Radio
- Producer
- Chris Longley
- Presenter
- June Knox Mawer
Guest of the week Dr John Horder
- Broadcast date
- 17 December 1980
- Medium
- Radio
- Producer
- Sally Thompson
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Horder, Dr John;
Heart transplant
From Manchester: Marjorie Lofthouse talks to Keith Brook, who underwent a heart transplant operation a year ago, and his wife Colette.
- Broadcast date
- 21 January 1983
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Diana Stenson
- Presenter
- Marjorie Lofthouse
- Cast
- Brook, Keith; Brook, Colette;
Prevention is better than cure (unbilled)
The Templegarth Trust: a health organisation in Lincolnshire
- Broadcast date
- 7 February 1983
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Sally Thompson
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Smith, Erica
Talking Point. Hospitals for women run by women -are they something to fight for or an anachronism?
- Broadcast date
- 8 February 1983
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Pat Taylor;Sally Thompson
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Barnes, Dame Josephine; Clark, June;
RCN report on continence
On the Royal College of Nursing’s report (with Squibb Surgicare) “The Problem of Promoting Continence”.
- Broadcast date
- 7 June 1983
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Janet Thomas;Ingrid Lewis
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Lee, Margaret
Elderly mentally ill
On services for the elderly mentally ill in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
- Broadcast date
- 22 June 1983
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Ingrid Lewis;Kay Evans
- Presenter
- Jenni Mills
- Cast
- Smith, Erica
Aids and blood transfusions (unbilled)
- Broadcast date
- 6 October 1983
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Roger Clark;Kay Evans
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Atkinson, Valerie; McLelland, Dr. Brian;
Ffyona Campbell and the cancer fund
Interview with Ffyona Campbell who completed a sponsored walk from John O’ Groats to Lands End to raise money for the Royal Marsden Hospital cancer fund.
- Broadcast date
- 10 October 1983
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Sally Feldman;Janet Thomas
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor
- Cast
- Campbell, Ffyona;
NHS Cuts
Jill Burridge visits Charing Cross Hospital to see how they tackle the cuts.
- Broadcast date
- 18 October 1983
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Clare Selerie Grey;Susan Denny
- Presenter
- Sue MacGregor;Jill Burridge
- Cast
- Clarke, Kenneth MP;
- Notes
- A transcript of this programme does not exist in the BBC's written archives.
Falling on Deaf Ears? Modern living
What effect does the constant buzz, clatter and screech of modern living have on health? Introduced by Liz Mardall. Jenny Cuffe Investigates.
- Broadcast details
- Radio 4, 7 January 1985 (58 minutes)
- Production company
- BBC Radio
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs series
- Credits
- Liz Mardall; Jenny Cuffe
Prime Minister, The Rt. Hon Margaret Thatcher, MP: Guest of the week
- Broadcast details
- Radio 4, 16 January 1985 (58 minutes)
- Production company
- BBC Radio
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Cast
- PM Margaret Thatcher
International Aids Conference
Nick Newman visited the International AIDS Conference and examined the ways in which various countries are educating people about the dangers of AIDS. Includes an interview with Dr Elphis Christopher.
- Broadcast date
- 28 January 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Sue Davies
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray;Nick Newman
- Cast
- Christopher, Dr. Elphis;
- Notes
- Dr Elphis Christopher took part in several controversial This Week television programmes on sex education in the 1970s, including a debate with moral purity campaigner, Mary Whitehouse. (see P.Holland The Angry Buzz I.B.Tauris 2006 pp81-2
Female Gynaecologists
In the last twenty-five years the number of women consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology has remained at 12% although four times as many women now qualify in medicine as a whole. Tessa Shaw investigated why this is so.
- Broadcast date
- 25 February 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Anne Reevell
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray;Tessa Shaw
Mentally handicapped children
From Wales. Sian Roberts investigates a strategy to move mentally handicapped children away from institutions and into family homes, and talks to two mothers about what it’s really like to foster a child with special needs.
- Broadcast date
- 1 March 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Penny Arnold
- Presenter
- Sian Roberts
Randy Schilts and Aids
Following the publication of his book “And the Band Played On”, Randy Schilts speaks to Jenni Murray about the spread of AIDS and the need for resources to fight the disease
- Broadcast date
- 3 March 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Jo Dobry
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Schilts, Randy
Edwina Currie MP
Jenni Murray interviews the Minister with special responsibility for women’s health about government’s response to the problems of cervical cancer.
- Broadcast date
- 17 March 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Suzanne Levy
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Notes
- At a time when it later transpired she was having an affair with government minister John Major, Edwina Currie promotes the virtues of fidelity
Transplant Co-Ordinator
Celia Wight, who co-ordinates transplant surgery at the Addenbrooks Hospital in Cambridge talked to Pat Rowe about what her job entails.
- Broadcast date
- 28 March 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Janice Hadlow
- Presenter
- Sarah Dunant;Pat Rowe
- Cast
- Wight, Celia
Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases
Clare Williams visited Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath which is celebrating its 250th birthday. Clare spoke to patients doctors and therapists about the hospital’s past present and future.
- Broadcast date
- 15 April 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Jenny Stuart
- Presenter
- Clare Williams
A&E Belfast
Wendy Austin talks to Sister Kate O’ Hanlon from the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast about her twenty years service with the hospital and her work in the accident and emergency department.
- Broadcast date
- 29 April 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Presenter
- Wendy Austin
- Cast
- O'Hanlon, Kate;
Children's Spectacles
When children’s National Health Service glasses were withdrawn in 1986 a voucher system was introduced. Jenny Clew, editor of “Jump” magazine talks to Felicity Quavatre about the successes and failures of the system.
- Broadcast date
- 23 May 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Producer
- Susan Denny
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Clew, Jenny; Quavatre, Feliciity;
Talking Point. Funding the NHS
President of the Institute of Health Services Management, Barbara Young and Harriet Harman MP debate the NHS cash crisis with Jenni Murray.
- Broadcast date
- 31 May 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Jo Dobry
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Young, Barbara; Harman MP, Harriet
Aids and Racism
Jenny Cuffe looks into evidence that AIDS in Britain is being used to exploit racial tension. She speaks to experts on the treatment given to AIDS sufferers and questions the prejudice.
- Broadcast date
- 4 July 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Sue Davies
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray;Jenny Cuffe
Professor Lesley Rees
Jenni Murray spoke to Professor Lesley Rees who has just been made the new Dean of St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, one of the country’s leading teaching hospitals.
- Broadcast date
- 7 September 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Susan Denny
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Prof. Rees, Lesley;
Midwives: Chris Warren
On the day Chris Warren -a midwide dismissed by Croydon Health Authority for not complying with their regulations- appeals against her sacking, Anne Taylor talks to one of her colleagues and some mothers delivered by Chris who were protesting outside the hearing.
- Broadcast date
- 13 September 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Jane Stimpson
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray;Anne Taylor
- Cast
- Chris Warren
- Notes
- This programme was followed up with an in depth report on 3 October 1988.
Talking Point. Medical negligence
Wyn Pocket Chair of the Association of Community Health Councils, Dr John Harvard Secretary of the British Medical Association and Jenni Murray discuss the present system in case of medical negligence. Can it be improved? They also talk about the 'no fault' compensation policy where negligence may be paid for, but without laying the blame on any one doctor.
- Broadcast date
- 15 September 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Mary Sharp
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Pocket, Wyn; Harvard, Dr John;
Midwives
An in-depth report on midwifery following the Woman’s Hour report on the case of dismissed midwife Chris Warren (13-9-88). Anne Taylor talked to Chris, and to another midwife Jilly Rosser, who was dismissed for rushing an expectant mother to hospital rather wait for an ambulance; and to various experts from the world of childbirth, including Wendy Savage. Live from Earls Court.
- Broadcast date
- 3 October 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Anne Reevell
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Credits
- Anne Taylor
- Cast
- Warren, Chris; Savage, Wendy; Jilly Rossiter
- Notes
- Woman's Hour item on Chris Warren was 13 September 1988
Employment issues at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge
Members of the Medical Records Department talk about why they’re being left behind in the pay stakes, as their work is administrative and not directly concerned in looking after the patients.
- Broadcast date
- 12 October 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Suzanne Levy
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray;Alison Courthard
- Cast
- Hanson, Sue; Smith, Sue; Sexton, Thisha;
Christine Hancock of RCN
Pat Rowe talks with the new General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, Christine Hancock, about the issues confronting the nursing profession.
- Broadcast date
- 3 November 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Sushma Puri
- Presenter
- Pat Rowe
- Cast
- Hancock, Christine;
Child Health
From Glasgow: Mary Marquis interviews Prof. Gavin Arneil retired Professor of Child Health at Yorkhill Hospital, Glasgow.
- Broadcast date
- 16 December 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Presenter
- Mary Marquis
- Cast
- Arneil, Prof. Gavin;
Medical Records Act
Jenni Murray spoke to Dr Vivienne Nathanson, Assistant Secretary of the BMA, about the Access to Medical Records Act which comes into force from the 1st January 1989.
- Broadcast date
- 20 December 1988
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Anne Taylor
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Nathanson, Dr. Vivienne;
Hysterectomy
Women who have had hysterectomies describe their experiences, their feelings and their reactions to the operation that is seen by some as controversial, by others as commonplace.
- Broadcast details
- Radio 4, 9 January 1989 (58 minutes)
- Production company
- BBC Radio
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs series
Talking Point: The Health Consipiracy
David Taylor (Director of Public and Economic Affairs at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry) and Dr Joe Collier author of The Health Conspiracy talk to Jenni Murray about prescription drugs.
- Broadcast date
- 18 January 1989
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Julia Eisner
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Taylor, David; Collier, Joe;
Susan Sontag on Aids
Susan Sontag, author of ‘Aids and its metaphors’, talks about why she thinks the language we use to describe AIDS is dangerous and unhelpful.
TAPE: Government Health Warning on AIDS issued by the Central Office of Information
- Broadcast date
- 15 March 1989
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Mary Sharp
- Presenter
- Ruth Wishart
- Cast
- Susan Sontag
- Notes
- The programme includes a tape of the Government Health Warning on AIDS issued by the Central Office of Information
Women GP's
Today GPs are holding a special conference to prepare their response to the Government’s White Paper and the proposed changes to their terms of service. One of the issues they will be discussing is the effect of the plans on women GP’s. One in five GPs is a woman, but there’s concern that figure could drop-meaning less choice for the consumer.
- Broadcast date
- 27 April 1989
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Emma Selby
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
Women and smoking
Dr Bobbie Jacobson from the Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) Women and Smoking Group. On 'world no smoking day' she talks about the latest research that suggests that more women are smoking now than ever before.
- Broadcast date
- 31 May 1989
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Mary Sharp
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Credits
- Jacobson, Dr. Bobbie
BMA
The British Medical Association is currently enjoying the highest profile it ever had since the health service was set up in 1948. At that time, the Association was opposed to some of the proposals for a new service. Now they are defending the status quo to the hilt, with ads, leaflets and videos which amount to a health warning against the government's plan for the NHS as laid out in the White Paper. Dame Rosemary Rue is the president elect helping to steer the BMA through this turbulent period in it’s history. She spoke to Jenni Murray.
- Broadcast date
- 10 July 1989
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Emma Selby
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Dame Rosemary Rue
MIND: Ros Hepplewhite
The new director of the mental health charity, MIND, Ros Hepplewhite comes from the National Health Service (she was one of the first of the new style “general” managers). She tells Jenni Murray what it is going to be like being on the other side of the fence-not holding the purse strips.
- Broadcast date
- 18 July 1989
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Emma Kingsley
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray
- Cast
- Hepplewhite, Ros;
Dirty Hospitals
Jenny Cuffe investigated the standard of hygiene in Britain’s hospitals which is becoming a growing concern with patients, local authorities and staff.
- Broadcast date
- 11 October 1989
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Emma Selby;Sue Davies
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray;Jenny Cuffe
Smoking and teenage girls
The Health Education Authority has launched a ten million pound campaign to prevent teenagers, and particularly teenage girls, from smoking. Emma Selby asks the programme director, Donald Reid, why the campaign is being targeted at the eleven to fifteen year old group.
- Broadcast date
- 19 December 1989
- Medium
- Radio
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Carol Sumpter
- Presenter
- Jenni Murray;Emma Selby
- Cast
- Reid, Donald;