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Modern medicine - AQAThe birth of the National Health Service

During World Wars One and Two, there were many advances in surgery, including plastic surgery and blood transfusions. The Beveridge Report led to the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948 and free health care for all.

Part of HistoryBritain: health and the people, c.1000 to the present day

The birth of the National Health Service

Following World War Two, the National Health Service (NHS) was created. There was some initial opposition from doctors and concerns about cost. However, the service was set up and has provided free health care in Britain since 1948.

The Beveridge Report

In 1942, William Beveridge, a Liberal politician and social reformer, wrote a report called Social Insurance and Allied Services. It became known as the Beveridge Report. He recommended that the government should act to deal with what he called the 鈥榝ive giants鈥.

The five giants of social welfare in 1942 Britain were: idleness, ignorance, disease, want and squalor

These were:

  • idleness - caused by a lack of employment opportunities
  • ignorance - caused by people lacking a good education
  • disease - caused by unaffordable health care
  • squalor - caused by poor-quality housing
  • - caused by poverty

Beveridge wanted the government to provide 鈥榗radle-to-grave鈥 social security.

Aneurin Bevan and the creation of the NHS

After World War Two, Winston Churchill lost the general election in 1945 to Clement Attlee and the Labour Party. Aneurin Bevan then became Minister of Health. He organised the founding of the NHS based on the principles of the Beveridge Report.

Opposition to the NHS

There was opposition to the NHS from multiple groups:

  • The General Medical Council, which represented doctors, was concerned that doctors would be employees of the government. They worried that doctors would lose their independence and receive less pay.
  • Some politicians argued that the cost of the NHS would be too great and taxpayers should not have to pay.

The birth of the NHS

The NHS started treating patients in 1948. The first patient was 13-year-old Sylvia Diggory, who was treated at Trafford General Hospital.

A photograph of Aneurin Bevan visiting Trafford General Hospital. He is being welcomed by nurses.
Image caption,
The Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan, visiting Trafford General Hospital on the day that the NHS opened, 5 July 1948

For the first time, everyone in the country could receive free health care, regardless of income. This included eye tests, hearing tests, prescriptions and hospital care.

To ensure the NHS could be fully staffed, nurses and domestic workers from the Caribbean and Ireland were employed and encouraged to come and work in hospitals in the UK. During the 1960s, NHS employees were also recruited from South Asia and Africa, as well as from the Caribbean.

Introduction of prescription charges

Bevan strongly believed that the NHS should provide free health care for all, regardless of people鈥檚 income. The initial budget for the health service was 拢437 million per year - equivalent to around 拢15 billion in 2021. This was a significant cost, particularly at a time when Britain was heavily in debt following World War Two.

Pressure on the NHS budget meant tough decisions needed to be made. In 1951, Bevan resigned from the government when charges for prescriptions were introduced to pay for the cost of the Korean War.

The NHS today

New medicines and treatments are constantly being developed. The NHS runs public health campaigns to try to encourage people to lead healthier lives. For example, it encourages people to:

  • stop smoking
  • eat healthily
  • practise safe sex
  • get vaccinated (eg the flu )

The NHS faces ongoing challenges regarding the cost of new treatments. Decisions have to be made about which medications and services can be paid for by the NHS and which cannot.