2.2 Flashcards
what was welfare like in the early 20th century compared to post WW2?
early 20th = sporadic, uneven, voluntary, based on insurance
psot WW2 = comprehensive, NHS, state controlled, based on tax
what are 2 examples of what welfare was like in the early 20th century?
Friendly Societies + Voluntary Hospitals
what did the National Insurance Act (1911) do?
provided free medical care + 13 weeks’ sick pay for members
how was the National Insurance Act (1911) limited?
only applied to certain workers + didn’t cover workers’ families
how did WW2 expose inadequacies of British healthcare?
41% of men rated ‘unfit’
10% judged unusable
when was the Ministry of Health set up + why was it significant?
1919
it was 1st time gov dept focused on health - showing its a priority
why was the Ministry of Health limited in significance?
lacked authority + political will required to radically change the system
by 1937, how many million workers were covered by state health insurance?
18 mil
when was a national system of blood transfusion depots established + what did it continue as?
1939
National Blood Transfusion Service after 1942
when was the Emergency Medical Service set up + what did it do?
1939
treat military personnel + a wider range of civilian casualties
what did Beveridge describe the NHS as?
a ‘satisfactory scheme of social security’
who was Aneurin Bevan?
Minister of Health in 1945
determined to make a centrally run system by taxation
when was the National Service Act + what did it do?
1946
established centralised system of welfare (NHS)
when did 90% of doctors of the BMA vote against working within the NHS?
Feb 1948
why did 90% of doctors (18k) in the BMA finally agree to working within the NHS in July 1948?
“stuffing their mouths with gold”
- Bevan granted docs a fee for each patient (instead of direct salary)
- he allowed them to retain priv patients
why did 90% of doctors of the BMA vote against working within the NHS?
it would undermine their clinical independence
in reality, most were concerned with losing their income
did the NHS help combat disease? (YES)
- 1st 10 years, new antibiotic drug made no. of deaths of TB fall (25k to 5k/year)
- 90% drop in cases of whopping cough, 1970
- syphilis almost completely eradicated by 1990s
- NHS began offering MMR vaccine for free
did the NHS help combat disease? (NO)
- heart disease + cancer increased 1950s + ’60s
- arthritis continued being biggest health problem (200k men + 700k women)
how did life expectancy change for men + women ,1950-79?
men: 66-70
women: 71-75
what was the NHS cost % of GNP in 1950, 1970 + 1990?
1950 = 4%
1970 = 5%
1990 = 14%
did the NHS succeed in advances in medical science? (YES)
- increase in treatments available (1948, only one antibiotic by 1968- 33)
did the NHS succeed in advances in medical science? (NO)
- fed higher expectations + demands of healthcare (‘dandruff syndrome’)
- backlog of cases to deal with 1948, difficult to dedicate time + funds to planning + restructuring
- no. of staff employed by NHS rose (doubled 1948-79)
what did Bevan’s resignation lead to?
split in Labour Party
when + where did the 1st kidney transplant take place?
1960
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
