How accurate is it to say that the efforts of Aneurin Bevan were the
crucial factor in the development of a National Health Service 1938-
48?
On the 5th July 1948 the NHS was formed acting as the tread stone to Clement Attlee’s
‘New Jerusalem’ and welfare state. Yet this crucial piece of ‘cradle to grave’ health care
was implemented due to the combined efforts of Aneurin Bevan as well as the impacts
of World War Two and pioneering healthcare services in the first part of the twentieth
century. In order to best judge Bevan’s and other factors’ ‘crucial’ roles, one must look
at the extent to which they influenced the population as a whole into accepting a
Nationalised Health Service. Additionally, the extent to which they created legislative
change. Therefore it is relevant to believe that pioneering healthcare lay the foundations
of a large scale health service, but it was the symbiotic relationship between WW2 and
Aneurin Bevan that created a publicly accepted piece of legislation that would redefine
British healthcare.
Aneurin Bevan was the first minister for health after the war. Bevan was a hardcore
socialist who wanted to provide a service that was ‘free at the point of use’, this
uniquely socialist idea of universal healthcare was solely pioneered by Bevan due to his
independent, self-regulating position which Attlee appointed him to. Bevan introduced
the NHS act in 1946 and as a bold public speaker convinced millions to join the free
healthcare service leading to an 88% signup by 1949. Bevan was particularly critical in
the role as he negotiated and convinced the BMA to join the NHS, a difficult task as it
was made up of well-paid, Harley street doctors. His crucial role involved “stuffing their
mouths with gold”, in practice this enabled doctors to keep their private patients on the
side whilst doing predominantly NHS work. As a result the NHS was set up by 1948
providing a large-scale universal system which did not rely on national insurance, but
was purely funded by national taxation. Bevan’s ability to convince the public is justified
by the 187 million prescriptions issued in the first three years. He is also crucial in that
he was the one who got it through parliament legislatively just four years after a white
paper declared its need. This justifies the idea that Bevan was the crucial trigger cause of
the NHS’ existence.
Yet Bevan would have struggled to muster the support surrounding the NHS without the
significant impact WW2 had on British society. The Emergency services Act of 1939
provided first aid and casualty services to those in need and was a government run
service. These benefits were two-fold; the British public were able to see and experience
the benefits of a national service, whilst the government were able to gain the practice
and expertise necessary of running such a large-scale project. Additionally, Clement
crucial factor in the development of a National Health Service 1938-
48?
On the 5th July 1948 the NHS was formed acting as the tread stone to Clement Attlee’s
‘New Jerusalem’ and welfare state. Yet this crucial piece of ‘cradle to grave’ health care
was implemented due to the combined efforts of Aneurin Bevan as well as the impacts
of World War Two and pioneering healthcare services in the first part of the twentieth
century. In order to best judge Bevan’s and other factors’ ‘crucial’ roles, one must look
at the extent to which they influenced the population as a whole into accepting a
Nationalised Health Service. Additionally, the extent to which they created legislative
change. Therefore it is relevant to believe that pioneering healthcare lay the foundations
of a large scale health service, but it was the symbiotic relationship between WW2 and
Aneurin Bevan that created a publicly accepted piece of legislation that would redefine
British healthcare.
Aneurin Bevan was the first minister for health after the war. Bevan was a hardcore
socialist who wanted to provide a service that was ‘free at the point of use’, this
uniquely socialist idea of universal healthcare was solely pioneered by Bevan due to his
independent, self-regulating position which Attlee appointed him to. Bevan introduced
the NHS act in 1946 and as a bold public speaker convinced millions to join the free
healthcare service leading to an 88% signup by 1949. Bevan was particularly critical in
the role as he negotiated and convinced the BMA to join the NHS, a difficult task as it
was made up of well-paid, Harley street doctors. His crucial role involved “stuffing their
mouths with gold”, in practice this enabled doctors to keep their private patients on the
side whilst doing predominantly NHS work. As a result the NHS was set up by 1948
providing a large-scale universal system which did not rely on national insurance, but
was purely funded by national taxation. Bevan’s ability to convince the public is justified
by the 187 million prescriptions issued in the first three years. He is also crucial in that
he was the one who got it through parliament legislatively just four years after a white
paper declared its need. This justifies the idea that Bevan was the crucial trigger cause of
the NHS’ existence.
Yet Bevan would have struggled to muster the support surrounding the NHS without the
significant impact WW2 had on British society. The Emergency services Act of 1939
provided first aid and casualty services to those in need and was a government run
service. These benefits were two-fold; the British public were able to see and experience
the benefits of a national service, whilst the government were able to gain the practice
and expertise necessary of running such a large-scale project. Additionally, Clement
