The NHS Flashcards
Knowlege
In 1948, Aneurin Bevan, the Minister for Health and Housing, introduced the National Health Service.
Analysis
The NHS was important because it offered free healthcare to everyone, regardless of income, giving British citizens equal access to services they hadn’t had before. It is seen as a key achievement of the welfare state, improving the health and well-being of millions.
Knowlege
It provided free healthcare, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians, and dentists under one system. Funding came mostly from national insurance, with the rest from taxes.
Analysis Plus
However, There was a huge demand for NHS services after it was introduced. Doctors, dentists and opticians were inundated with new patients requesting treatment that they had previously been unable to afford. This made the NHS very costly to administer. By 1950 the NHS was costing £358 million per year. Another problem was that many hospitals were out of date and in poor condition, limiting the effectiveness of the treatment.
