The NHS Flashcards
Why was the NHS set up?
The Beveridge report advised that a national health service be set up to provide free medical, dental and eye care for all.
Why was it the hardest reform for Labour to introduce?
Doctors were suspicious of state control of their profession and by January 1948 only one in every 100 specialist doctors and surgeons in London were in favour of the scheme.
What does BMA stand for?
British Medical Association
What did the BMA do?
they fought all changes to increase free health care, bma reps sat on government committees to discuss reform but disagreed over the level of government control, who should get free health care and how doctors who gave it should be paid.
Who else disagreed with the NHS?
Many conservative MPS criticised the cost of the NHS
When was the NHS introduced?
when Labour came to power in 1945
Who was the minister of health and what did he do?
Anevrin Bevan was the minister of health and he wanted to carry out Berveridges reccommendations. He set up committees to conslt with the BMA and pushed through the National health Service act despite BMA protests.
When did the NHS provide its free services?
July 1948
What was the public reaction to free medical services?
People couldn’t believe their medical, eye and dental care would be free. They rushed to make use of it.
What did the NHS underestimate?
the cost on a normal use of these services. Glasses and false teeth were the most popular but the medicine bill was also high. By 1949 the government was debating introducing charges. In 1952 there was a 1 shilling prescription charge for medicine and glasses.
Who was exempt from the prescription charge?
the old, poor and disabled
How many people received dental treatment or spectacles in the first year?
dental treatment- 8.5 million
spectacles- 5.25 million
What other factors were affected by the NHS?
- there was a fall in the infant mortality rate
- a reduction in deaths from disease
- free ante natal clinics
