The 1970s 

Radio Boscombe soon extended its 30-minute programme to one hour a week, due to a large response from the patients. The programme was taped onto cassettes and, when the tape was completed, it was plugged into the hospital radio system and played back.

In 1972 two of the Boscombe team linked up with 4 volunteers to form a LIVE service which was broadcast from Poole Hospital.

This team used money supplied by Poole League of Friends to set up this service, and live request shows started from an engineer's store room in the basement of the hospital. The "studio" was surrounded by old fridges and engineering paraphernalia.

Boscombe continued to have a recorded service, and for a time, used the Poole facilities to record their service.

The success of Radio Poole led to negotiations with Radio Boscombe about joining forces and, in 1973, the Bournemouth and East Dorset Hospital Broadcasting Association (BEDHBA) was formed. Both stations transmitted individually at their respective site.

In January 1976, BEDHBA began broadcasting from an attic room at Westbourne Eye Hospital to Poole General, Royal Victoria Boscombe, Christchurch, Royal National and Poole Maternity and later Wimborne and Westbourne itself. 1976 also saw the first mention of Radio Bedside.