How Hospital Radio Got Started: A History of Healing Sound

Hospital radio is one of those quietly powerful institutions: volunteers broadcasting music, chat shows, requests, and companionship to patients confined to ward beds. For many, it’s a lifeline—comfort, distraction, a reminder of life beyond the hospital corridor. But where did this idea come from? How did it develop into the large network of services seen today? This article takes you through the journey: the early beginnings, growth, technological change, and where hospital radio sits now.

Early Beginnings: The First Hospital Broadcasts (1918–1930s)

The roots of hospital radio go back more than a century, originating in the wake of World War I and progressing from simple setups to more sophisticated services.

Walter Reed General Hospital, Washington D.C. (1919)
The earliest known hospital radio station officially commenced operation in May 1919 at Walter Reed General Hospital in the U.S.
It had been planned to install a similar service earlier at a U.S. Base Hospital near Paris in 1918, but evidence suggests it may not have been completed due to the war’s end.
UK’s First: York County Hospital (1925)
The idea crossed the Atlantic and established itself in the United Kingdom in 1925 at York County Hospital. There, roughly 200 beds were fitted with headphones, and around 70 loudspeakers were installed so patients could hear broadcasts—sporting commentaries, church services, and other content.

During the 1930s, more hospitals gradually adopted radio services. These early versions were often quite modest: live speech programmes, occasional live music or locally performed music, religious services, and news. Many were volunteer‑led, often relying on local community support or hospital staff. The technology was rudimentary compared with today’s, but its purpose was already clear: alleviating isolation and providing comfort.

In the UK, though, growth was slow during this period. The technological constraints—wiring, amplifiers, and headphones—and the limited investment capacity of hospitals meant that only a few hospitals had hospital radio in the 1930s. Additionally, hospitals’ primary focus was medical care, so non‑clinical comforts such as entertainment were often low priorities.

An interesting note: during World War II, most hospital radio didn’t expand; in many areas, it stagnated or even withdrew. An exception was in Jersey (Channel Islands), where, under German occupation, a radio service was set up to relay church services, musical recitals, variety shows, and children’s programmes across multiple hospitals after private wireless receivers had been banned.

Post War Expansion: 1940s to 1960s

After WWII ended, hospital radio began to resume, especially in the UK. Several factors combined to make this possible:

Technological improvements: better amplifiers, less bulky equipment, and improved wiring systems in hospitals.
Volunteers and community enthusiasm: people recognised the value of radio in healing and counteracting loneliness.
Broader cultural changes: radio was already central in the home; extending it into hospitals felt like a natural step.

Some key milestones:

Growth in the 1950s: Hospital radio expanded in many parts of the UK. More hospitals established small services, initially using gramophones/vinyl records, then tape recorders as they became available.
First “Modern” Hospital Stations: Some specialised hospital radio services started to form more formal organisations. For example, HWD Hospital Radio (Mid Yorkshire) began its early commentaries in 1952, broadcasting live sports to patients, and gradually developed into a full hospital radio station with music request shows, etc.
Technology shifts: With the arrival of cassette tapes (1960s), hospitals could record programmes, replay pre‑made content, and reduce dependency on live presenters. This made scheduling more flexible and the service more sustainable.

Consolidation and Peak Popularity: 1970s–1980s

By the 1970s, hospital radio was no longer just a handful of experimental setups; it had become a widespread phenomenon across the UK. This was the era when many hospital radio stations that still exist today were founded.

Volunteer Organisations Grow: Stations like Epsom Hospital Radio (founded in 1977) illustrate how local volunteers, sometimes inspired by mobile DJs or local radio personalities, decided to bring radio into hospitals where nothing was yet established.
Glasgow and the Hospital Broadcasting Service: In Scotland, the Hospital Broadcasting Service (HBS) was established in 1969. It began with pilot programmes to prove value, and by the early 1970s (1970), it expanded to cover several hospitals in Glasgow. It included music, entertainment, news, and even sports commentary.
Rapid Growth in Number of Stations: During the 1970s and 1980s, the number of active hospital radio stations increased steeply. At their peak in the 1980s, perhaps more than 300 hospital radio stations operated in the UK daily.

Characteristics of this era:

Strong volunteer base: Presenters, technicians, fund‑raisers, all largely unpaid volunteers.
Local identity: Stations often featured highly local content—ward requests, hospital notice boards, local news, local sports, and interviews.
Connection via wired systems: Patients could access the hospital radio through bedside radios (wired into hospital systems), sometimes via loudspeakers, sometimes via headphones.

Technological and Regulatory Changes: 1990s–2000s

As with many media forms, hospital radio had to evolve with changing technology, regulations, and user expectations.

Introduction of digital tools: Tape cassettes gave way to CDs, digital audio players, and computer play‑out systems. This facilitated easier scheduling, improved sound quality, and allowed recording of voice-overs or shows in advance.
New broadcast channels: Some stations moved from only bedside wired systems to FM/AM transmitters and, later, internet streaming. This enabled broader reach and greater flexibility. For example, Hospital Radio Plymouth began with local hospitals and later adopted restricted FM licences.
Hospital radio and licensing: As regulations for broadcasting and licensing became more structured, many hospital radio stations had to comply with Ofcom or equivalent, particularly if broadcasting over FM/AM or via public airwaves. For those broadcast only via internal systems (bedside radio networks), the licensing requirements were simpler.
Changing hospital infrastructure: As some hospitals closed, merged, or replaced older facilities with new ones, hospital radio stations sometimes had to either relocate or adapt. Some small stations merged or were absorbed by larger hospital radio networks.

Why Hospital Radio Took Off: Purpose, Value, and Reception

Hospital radio succeeded (and continues to exist) largely because it meets human needs that go beyond medicine.

Alleviating Isolation
Hospitalisation can be lonely and disorienting. Sights, sounds, and normal life rhythms are disrupted. Radio brings connection—music, familiar voices, local references, messages, the voice of the outside world.
Comfort and Distraction
Music, chat, and request shows provide distraction from pain, worry, delays, and boredom. They help pass the time in what are often long or uncomfortable days.
Personal Touch & Interaction
Many hospital radio stations allow patients to request songs, send messages to friends/family, and, in some cases, speak on air. This involvement gives patients a voice, a sense of being heard.
Volunteer Spirit and Community Support
The efforts are mostly volunteer‑driven. Local communities, charities, and hospital staff often contribute time, funds, and resources. Because the cost base is relatively low (especially for services using internal wired systems), many stations can sustain operations with small budgets and committed people.
Flexibility and Low Risk
Compared with many medical interventions, radiotherapy is low-risk, non‑invasive, and the downside is small. It doesn’t treat diseases directly, but contributes to the overall patient experience and well-being.
Media Training Ground
For some volunteers, it served as an entry point in broadcasting. Several well-known British radio personalities began their careers in hospital radio. It developed skills in presenting, producing, and technical work. This additional incentive helps recruit volunteers and sustain their energy.

Modern Era: Adaptation & Innovation

Despite the challenges, many hospital radio stations have adapted successfully. Here are some trends and innovations.

Internet Streaming and Apps: Many hospital radio services now stream broadcasts online, allowing patients (and perhaps even staff/visitors / ex‑patients) to tune in through smartphones or tablets. Some stations allow requests via app.
24‑Hour Broadcasting: Instead of limited evening hours, many stations now broadcast 24/7, using pre‑recorded content and automated systems to cover periods when volunteers are less available. Eg. Epsom Hospital Radio has transitioned to a 24‑hour service using computer systems.
Training and Skill‑Building: Some stations provide formal or informal training for volunteers in presentation, technical skills, and studio operations. Because broadcast technology has become more accessible, quality has improved.
Community Integration: Some hospital radio stations not only serve patients but also participate in outside events, local sports coverage, external broadcasts, and charity events. This raises profile, helps fundraising, and strengthens connections with communities. For example, Hospital Radio Plymouth and others hold FM or restricted-service licenses, which permit broadcasting to areas beyond the bedside.
Improved Studio Facilities: Newer studios, digital equipment, better recording tools, better sound quality, and multichannel systems. Many stations have moved from improvised setups (sheds, portacabins, basements) to better-equipped rooms. For example, Hospital Radio Lynn relocated its studio several times, thereby increasing capacity.

The Bigger Picture: Hospital Radio Today

What does hospital radio look like in the UK today? Roughly:

There are around 230 hospital radio stations in the UK (this number fluctuates with closures and new starts)
Staffing is almost entirely volunteer‑led. Roles include presenters, producers, technical staff, fundraisers, and administrators. For many volunteers, hospital radio is a passion or hobby, often undertaken to give back to the community.
Programming typically includes music request shows, speech shows, interviews, hospital news/notices, sports commentaries, and, occasionally, live outside broadcasts or hospital events.
Listening methods: wired bedside systems, internal hospital radio networks; FM/AM in some cases (with restricted licences); streaming via internet; apps or devices.
The Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA) supports many of these stations, offers awards and conferences, provides guidance, and offers regulatory/technical advice.

These stations contribute significantly to patient well-being, morale, community links, and volunteer opportunities.

Practical Applications & Case Examples

Here are ways in which hospitals are applying music (or could apply) and how those applications align with the evidence.

Recorded Music in Patient Rooms or Wards
Probably the easiest to deploy: letting patients listen to self‑selected or mood‑appropriate recorded music via headphones or speakers. This is widely used in studies that show improvement in mood, pain reduction, and anxiety. Benefits are maximised when patients choose the music (familiar, preferred). E.g., the Johns Hopkins study in which patients listening to their favourite songs experienced improved mood and reduced pain.
Music Therapy with Trained Therapists
Music therapists design interventions tailored to patients’ needs: live performance, singing, interactive music, composition, and guided listening. These are particularly useful in critical care, pediatric, and psychiatric settings, as well as for emotional or psychosocial support. For example, in polytrauma patients, structured music therapy reduced pain and anxiety.
Live Music Performances in Wards / Communal Spaces
Live music can create shared moments, bring joy, and reduce isolation. Organisations such as Music in Hospitals & Care in the UK bring live musicians into wards, ICUs, and special care units. Their data suggests that live music can have a greater impact than recorded music, particularly in mental health, oncology, and critical care, for both patients and staff.
Bedside Music / Therapeutic Bedside Music Programmes
Having musicians visit individual patients, often bedside, to play live or provide curated listening experiences. The “Therapeutic Bedside Music Program” study mentioned above: 176 recipients; many reported relaxing, joyful experiences, a calming influence during stress, and perceived impact on healing.
During Procedures / Pre‑/Post‑ Operative Phases
Music used before, during, and after surgery has been shown to attenuate postoperative pain, reduce anxiety, and reduce analgesic (painkiller) demand. The Queen Mary University of London review of almost 7,000 surgical patients across 73 randomised trials showed significant effects in reducing postoperative pain, anxiety, and need for pain relief with music intervention.
Use in Emergency Departments
Short sessions of music therapy in the ED have been effective for reducing pain and anxiety, improving perceived quality of care. The Bangkok trial cited above is recent.
Special Settings: Children, Adolescents, Rare Diseases
For pediatric patients and those with rare or complex conditions, music can help reduce procedural distress, enhance communication, and social engagement. Studies show improved coping skills and reduced stress during procedures.

Challenges & Future Prospects

Hospital radio is not without its challenges, both historically and now:

Funding: equipment, licensing, and studio upkeep cost money. Many stations rely on donations, grants, and fundraising.
Regulation / Licensing: Music copyright, transmission licences if using FM/AM, who owns bedside radio systems, and hospital permissions.
Volunteer fatigue: Keeping volunteers motivated, replacing people, and managing burnout.
Technology maintenance & infrastructure: WiFi, hospital audio systems, streaming services, and modern studio equipment require tech support and investment.
Relevance versus personal devices: As patients increasingly bring their own devices, stream music, access podcasts, and similar content, hospital radio must find ways to remain distinct and valuable.

But there are also promising opportunities:

Digital transformation: More internet streaming, mobile apps, and integrating with hospital TV systems.
Broader community involvement: Partnerships with schools, radio stations, music organisations.
Expanded content: More speech programming, wellness shows, and patient testimonies.
Research into impact: More studies to show how hospital radio contributes to patient wellbeing, recovery, and mental health.

Conclusion

Hospital radio began over a century ago in relatively small, experimental forms—often wired headphones beside hospital beds and loudspeakers in wards. From York in 1925 to the US in 1919, the idea has always been simple: bring voices, music, comfort, distraction, and connection into hospital settings.
Over the decades, it has grown into a more formalised, volunteer-driven network in the UK with hundreds of stations. Its legacy is built on community, compassion, creativity, and adaptability.
Even as technology and patient expectations change, there remains a special place for hospital radio: for someone in a hospital bed, hearing their name read out on air, or their favourite song played, or just listening to friendly voices—it does more than fill silence. It brings a reminder: you’re still part of a world beyond the ward.

Join us – let’s turn up the volume on kindness!

Gosport Hospital Radio is supported by volunteers, kind donations, and a passion for uplifting patient spirits. If you love the idea of becoming a presenter – or you just fancy twiddling a fader and announcing the lunch menu in style – become part of our crew.

👉 Volunteer your skills – presenting, producing, tech‑wiring, tea‑making, social‑media‑posting – we welcome it all.

👉 Support us with a donation – every penny goes straight to maintaining our studio, upgrading equipment, and most importantly, delivering smiles to the wards of Gosport Memorial Hospital.

Your generosity keeps the music playing, the banter flowing, and the patients’ morale sky‑high. Whether it’s a one‑off contribution or a regular standing order, you’ll be directly funding comfort, companionship and that all‑important sense of community for those on the road to recovery.

Donate today, tune in tomorrow, and help us make every day in the hospital sound a little bit brighter.

See you on the airwaves!

How Hospital Radio Got Started: A History of Healing Sound