BHBN radio

The Network was founded in 1952 by Hon. Alderman Mrs Freda Cocks OBE as the Birmingham Hospital Commentaries Association (BHCA). It became the BHBA in 1955 and BHBN in 1972. It adopted the name of Birmingham’s BHBN in 1992, and adopted it’s current broadcast name of BHBN Hospital Radio in 2006

Nationally, hospital radio first started life in York in 1926.

The Network was a pioneer in many aspects of its broadcasting. Time spent in hospital back in the Network’s early days was very different to the present where day case surgery is common.

During the Fifties and Sixties a two-week stay in hospital was more the average for even a routine procedure. This gave the then stations volunteers the opportunity to foster long-term relationships with patients.