Factors Leading to the Introduction of the NHS

This presentation discusses the social, political, and ideological factors that led to the introduction of the NHS in the UK. It explores the impact of changes in funding and structure on service users and providers. The presentation also provides references for further reading.

Task 14, The NHS

TABLE OF CONTENT
• Social factors leading to the introduction of the NHS
• Political factors leading to the introduction of the NHS
• Ideological factors leading to the introduction of the NHS
• Significant changes to funding and structure of the NHS
• Impact on the service users due to the changes in NHS’s structure and
funding
• Impact on service providers due to the changes in NHS’s structure and
funding
References

Social factors leading to the introduction of the NHS
National Health service (NHS) is a publicly funded healthcare system of United
Kingdom which was introduced in 1948. There were various factors which induced
the introduction of NHS, some of such social factors includes:
• Wealth
• Population density
• Quality of life
Wealth – Before introduction of NHS, health care facilities were a luxury to poor
people due to which the rate of death was increasing in early 2000s. With the
thought to provide appropriate healthcare services to poor people, the NHS was lead
to its introduction.

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Population density – In the scenario of early 1900s of United Kingdom, the population was
denser in urban areas than rural areas due to which they flow of patients in urban areas was
continuous and such areas were receiving appropriate budget for health councils. But on the
other hand, the healthcare services in rural areas were not enough as the health councils of
such areas were struggling with finance issues.
Quality of life – This factor also led towards
introduction of NHS as it seems important to raise
the quality of life of people of UK. This graph
clearly shows how life expectancy and quality of
life has increased after introduction of NHS.

Political factors leading to the introduction of the NHS
The era of 1940s is considered as a politically essential era for United Kingdom
as in this period, Labor won the election with a manifesto and promised the
introduction of national health service which will make healthcare services
available to those who are unable to afford it. Considering this, political factors
that led introduction of NHS includes
• Taxation policies
• Eliminating idleness
• Labor in power

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Taxation policies – These policies assisted in establishing an organization which can provide
healthcare services to UK as after World war two, providing appropriate healthcare services was
the only priority of UK.
Labour in power – In the period of 1945, the labour won the election and was in power due to
which the National Health Service Act was passed in 1946.
Eliminating idleness – In the period of mid
1900s, UK was facing the issue of
unemployment and idleness which encouraged
the introduction of NHS as it was thought that
creation of a national organization will result
into greater employment.

Ideological factors leading to the introduction of the NHS
Ideological factors are the most important and powerful factors which encouraged the
creation of NHS in UK. There were four principles which induced development of NHS
and these principles were inclusion, equity, equality and accessibility. These principles
promoted the establishment of a comprehensive health service which was designed to
improve physical as well as mental heath of the people of England and Wales.
Considering this, the Ideological factors which led to the introduction of NHS are
• Human rights
• Health promotion
• Social investment

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Social investment – The cost incurred in the
creation of NHS was considered as a social
investment and the cost due to which creation of
NHS was encouraged. It can be seen in this figure
that how social investment in NHS is continuously
increasing.
Human rights – Gaining healthcare services were considered as a human rights due to
which NHS was introduced which provided right to every human being of UK to exercise
their human right and gain services of NHS.
Health promotion – It was idealized that health is as important as other societal norms due
to which it is important to form an organization that can work to promote health.

Significant changes to funding and structure of the NHS
NHS has become a giant health service
organisation; since its introduction, there are
numerous changes and addition in the services
of NHS can be undertaken which requires
ample fund due to which funding of NHS has
been constantly changed in order to increase
the level of funding. In this figure, it can be
seen that how funding for NHS has increased
over years.

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The structure of NHS has widely changed over the years. The old structure of NHS was
divided into two sections which were
• Primary care trust
• Strategic health authority
Both of these sections had their own functions
and authorities. The new structure of NHS ceased
old sections and three new sections were
introduced which are:
• NHS England
• Clinical Commissioning groups
• Local area teams

Impact on the service users due to the changes in NHS’s structure and
funding
Even after continuous increase in the budget of NHS, this organisation faces huge
financial deficit due to which rationing of parents is usual that impacts the service users
of NHS. Ways in which service users of NHS are impacted are:
• Deflection
• Denial
• Selection
• Delay
Change of structure has laid a positive impact on the service users of NHS as they can
assess health care services from rural areas of UK as well.

Impact on service providers due to the changes in NHS’s structure
and funding
• Due to change in structure of NHS, service
providers has faced issue of change in locations as
they have to even indulge into community services
which requires them to provide care in patient’s home
as well.
• Due to change in funding in NHS, service
providers has faced the issue of high working hours
and low wages.
It can be seen in this image that even after continuous
increasing in budget of NHS, the deficit in the funds
of NHS is also increasing resulting into monetary
issues for service providers of NHS.

References
• Böhm, K. and et.al., 2013. Five types of OECD healthcare systems: empirical
results of a deductive classification. Health Policy. 113(3). pp.258-269.
• Heywood, A., 2017. Political ideologies: An introduction. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
• Lawson, T., 2017. Eudaimonic bubbles, social change and the NHS. In
Morphogenesis and Human Flourishing (pp. 239-260). Springer, Cham.
• Powell, M. and Miller, R., 2016. Seventy years of privatizing the British
National Health Service?. Social Policy & Administration. 50(1). pp.99-118.

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