Scottish Public Health in the National Library of Scotland’s Moving Image Archives

Initiatives such as ‘The NHS at 70’ show strong public interest in the histories of public health in the UK.

Such discussions have particular resonances in Scotland with the country’s reputation for poor public health and devolved responsibilities for healthcare.

During my secondment, I will research the representation of hospitals, institutions of care and healthcare professions in Scotland, as found in the National Library of Scotland’s Moving Image Archive.

The collections include documentaries, promotional and public information films, amateur works and newsreels, from the 1890s to the present day.

My project will involve researching, contextualising and connecting key recordings to create appropriate narratives about public health in Scotland.

I will research the histories and legacies of key Scottish institutions represented in the archive (such as East Fortune Sanatorium for tuberculosis patients, the innovative ‘therapy communities’ at Dingleton Hospital and ‘modern’ institutions such as Glasgow’s Stobie Hospital), situating this within a larger context of changing attitudes and policy about health and healthcare professions.

I will create a curated interactive package, including clips and additional written information, for display at the Kelvin Hall premises.