National Health Service

National Health Service noun

In Britain, the system under which medical, dental, etc treatment is available free, or at a nominal charge, to all, paid for out of public taxation

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Main Entry: ↑nation

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noun

the National Health Service

: the public system of medical care in Britain that is paid for by taxes

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the ˌNational ˈHealth Service [National Health Service] noun singular (abbr. NHS)

the public health service in Britain that provides medical care and is paid for by taxes

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I got my glasses on the National Health (Service).

 

Culture:

British people have strong feelings about the importance of the NHS, and it is always one of the top political issues in Britain. The National Health Service was introduced in 1946 by the ↑Labour government as part of the ↑welfare state system recommended in the ↑Beveridge Report, and it came into operation in 1948. At first it provided free medical, dental and hospital services for everyone, but in the 1960s charges for medicines and dental services were introduced. Since then the cost of the NHS has continued to rise and governments have been forced to find new ways of paying for it. The Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher was accused of trying to privatize the NHS (= sell it to private owners) after introducing ↑hospital trusts and ‘fundholding’ (= a system allowing doctors to control how they spend their funds), and encouraging the growth of private medical services and private medical insurance. There are now fewer NHS dentists, but treatment by doctors and hospitals is still free of charge to patients.

See also ↑private patient

.