The National Healt Service
The NHS was set up in 1948 & was designed to provide equal basic health carefree of charge
About 83% of the cost of the health service is paid for by general taxation & the rest is met from th National Insurance Contributions
People, such as children, pregnant women, pensioners are exempt from payment
Most people are registred with a local doctor ( a GP )
The NHS is the biggest employer in Europe
At the end of 1980s the goverment allowed some hospitals to be self-governing.
The political question – how much money should be provided to support the NHS & where it should come from
How healthy are the British ?
There are various indicators :
How long people live
Many common serious infectious desas
Lats 50 years the situation has improved as a result of better housing & education, & a higher standard of living
Middle-class people tend to enjoy better healt than working-class people
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