The state, the institution, and the patient: A three-way collison at the crossroads as a hospital fights closure

SUMMARY

This paper recounts the story of a National Health Service hospital which was almost closed for financial reasons in 1990. After a political campaign carried out in the full glare of publicity, the Hospital was reprieved. The account is based on the author's conversations with members of staff. The story of the staff, the patients, the Hospital, and the political struggle are woven together by common themes which are highlighted by reference to the Oedipus myth.