Healthcare Implementation

The NHS represented a fundamental shift in healthcare delivery, emphasizing universal access regardless of financial status.

Quote: "It was universal! Anyone with a problem, rich or poor, could use it."

Highlight: The system was funded through taxation rather than point-of-use payments.

Example: Rising operational costs led to the introduction of prescription charges in 1951, challenging the original free-access principle.

Page 1: Introduction and Addressing Want

The opening page discusses the context of Labour Government's social reforms following World War 2 and their efforts to address poverty through various initiatives.

Definition: The Beveridge Report identified five major social issues (giants) that needed to be tackled: want, disease, squalor, ignorance, and idleness.

The National Insurance Act of 1946 represented a significant improvement over its 1906 predecessor, making weekly contributions mandatory for all workers.

Highlight: The Family Allowance Act of 1945 provided universal support of five shillings per child (after the firstborn) regardless of social class.

Example: The National Assistance Act created a safety net for those ineligible for National Insurance, though means testing remained a barrier for some.

Quote: "Labour did not fail because the Family Allowance Act of 1945 gave all families five shillings for each child after the firstborn, no matter what their class."