National Health Service

The **National Health Service** often known as the **NHS** is a British organisation that provides government-funded healthcare for UK residents.

## Treatments provided

The NHS provides treatments if a general practitioner or consultant has deemed them neccessary. Some treatments, such as infirtility treatments are only avaliable in certain Clinical Commissioning Groups. Avaliability of treatments is determined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, widely known as NICE.

## History

The NHS was created in 1946 with the passing of The National Health Service Act 1946. The NHS started in 1948. It was founded by Aneurin Bevan, who was Secretary of State for Health during this period. In 1951, prescription charges were introduced by the then chancellor, Hugh Gaitskell, along with charges for dental and optician services.

## Controversies

### Funding controversies

#### Medications and procedures

NICE has often been criticised for not funding medications and procedures that are deemed to not be cost-effective. In 2018, the parents of a a child with Cystic Fibrosis launched a legal challenge against the NHS for refusing to fund the drug Orkambi NICE has also refused to fund other drugs in the past, such as Avastin for women with ovarian cancer

On the other hand, researchers from the University of York have argued that NICE funds too many drugs that are poor value for money, which diverts funding from other services.

#### Mental healthcare

There have been claims that care for people with mental illnesses is underfunded, which is causing delays and difficulties accessing services. Services for children and young people are particularly affected.

#### Health inequalities in funding

Historically, hospitals in more affluent areas have recieved more than those in less affluent areas, even though people from less affluent areas often use healthcare services more frequently than more affluent people. This is known as the Inverse Care Law.

### Involvment of private companies

The use of outsourcing firms in completing work such as cleaning and catering in hospitals, as well as the creation of an internal market, has been shown to have increased NHS administration costs from 5% in the 1970s to 14% in 2003.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/conditions-treatments-arent-covered-nhs-much-do-cost/
2. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/infertility/treatment/
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31507861
4. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/background\_briefings/your\_nhs/86100.stm
5. ↑ https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/9-10/81/enacted
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/the-birth-of-the-nhs-856091.html
7. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/18/nye-bevan-history-of-nhs-national-health-service
8. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Xsfds7xsjqgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=nhs+history&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjf2fqn28jgAhXYTRUIHW5gDhsQuwUILzAB#v=onepage&q=dental&f=false
9. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/orkambi-cystic-fibrosis-drug-nhs-girl-funding-family-health-medicine-judicial-review-a8633686.html
10. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/feb/01/nhs-refuses-drug-women-cancer
11. ↑ https://www.york.ac.uk/media/che/documents/papers/researchpapers/CHERP81\_methods\_estimation\_NICE\_costeffectiveness\_threshold\_(Nov2013).pdf
12. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/30/inadequate-nhs-services-put-under-18s-with-mental-health-issues-at-risk
13. ↑ https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(71)92410-X/fulltext
14. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Yi53DwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=nhs+history&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-547v5MjgAhW\_SRUIHZr8Dfo4ChC7BQhKMAY#v=onepage&q=nhs%20history&f=false

## External Links

* The National Health Service's official website