The NHS and Modern Medicine

The creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948 was one of the most significant developments in British public health history. For the first time, comprehensive healthcare was available to everyone, free at the point of use. Alongside the NHS, the 20th century saw extraordinary advances in medical science and technology.

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The Creation of the NHS

Background

Before 1948, healthcare in Britain was not free. People had to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medicines. The poor often went without treatment.

Before the NHS	Detail
Panel system	Under the 1911 National Insurance Act, workers received free GP visits, but their families did not
Voluntary hospitals	Funded by charity; often overcrowded and underfunded
Local authority hospitals	Run by councils; varied hugely in quality
Private doctors	Expensive; only the wealthy could afford regular care

Aneurin Bevan and the NHS

Aneurin Bevan (1897--1960) was the Labour Health Minister who created the NHS.