Nov 02, 2009
— read in fullHistory of the NHS
Many of us are used to having the National Health Service around to care for us when we get sick.
But things weren’t always this way. Before 1948, when the NHS was established, healthcare was a luxury not everyone could afford.
Despite some free health provision by philanthropists and social reformers, each year, thousands died of infectious diseases like pneumonia, meningitis, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and polio. Meanwhile, one in 20 children died before their first birthday.
The birth of free healthcare
The NHS was the borne out of a desire to establish good healthcare which would be available to all and could be funded by the tax payer. When health secretary Aneurin Bevan, opened Park Hospital in Manchester on July 5, 1948, it was the first time anywhere in the world that completely free healthcare was made available on the basis of citizenship rather than wealth.
Then until now
Public demand on the NHS has not abated since it opened its first hospitals with waiting lists of more than 500,000. On a typical day, 700,000 people visit their GP.
While the concept of free healthcare is widely applauded, the NHS receives its fair share of criticism.
- Bureaucracy: Family doctors complain that a quarter of their time is taken up with paperwork.
- Funding: Running costs have soared fourfold in real terms, leaving the service constantly cash-strapped.
- Lack of resources: Both of the above factors increasingly place a strain on the already over-stretched system, adding to fears that it just cannot cope with current demand.
Related links
Your shout!
Do you think free healthcare is worthwhile? Share your thoughts by posting a comment using the link below.
