The Hospitals Nationalization Of The Labour Party In Britain(1948-1974)

The United Kingdom is the first country which provided free medical services to everyone.The State-Oriented "British Model" has been an example to other countries.In the early of twentieth century,British health services were mainly based on market.The state was not responsible for the hospital management.Until the "appointed day",July 5,1948,the National Health Service came into operation in Great Britain.Meanwhile,all voluntary and municipal hospitals were nationalized during the Labour government.This reform reflects the Labour Government's policy radically to explore the optimum mode of health services,but also stands for the principle of the British hospitals reform in this period which gives priority to fairness with due consideration to efficiency.In the 1930s,there were three types of hospital:the voluntary hospitals,organized on a nonprofit basis,were originally supported chiefly by large endowments and bequests;the local authority hospitals(or municipal hospitals),which run by local authorities and mainly supported by local taxes;and private hospitals,operated for profit by a private individual,partnership,or corporation.The hospitals were not play an important role in the health services during this period.The voluntary hospitals mainly service for the poor patients who has acute disease.The municipal hospitals were special for the local person who has chronic disease,mental disease or infectious disease.The rich one tends to see a private practitioner or went to private clinic.In the hospital services,the poor medical conditions,unreasonable services' restrictions,medical resources misdistribution and incomplete medical insurance brought adverse influences to the development of hospital and national health.Due to the World War two broke out,the problems of health services became seriously and also brought a new opportunity for the development of hospitals.The Keynesianism,Beveridge report and the Clause ? of the Labour Party established a theoretical foundation for the reform of hospitals nationalization.Meanwhile,the successful wartime experiences of the Emergency Hospital Scheme proved the feasibility of state intervention in hospital services.In 1939,the Ministry of Health set up the Emergency Hospital Services.The Ministry of Health taken over some voluntary hospitals and municipal hospitals in which reserved and paid hospital beds for the Service patients and war-related casualties.The unified hospital services have won widespread popular support.The cruel war also strengthened the public desire to equity and health.In order to compensate on sacrifices and contributions which the public made,they needed a reform to achieve a better life in the post-war society.When the National Health Service set up in 1948,1,143 voluntary hospitals and 1,545 municipal hospitals were transferred into national ownership.As the most spectacular and controversial innovation of the Act,after the Brown Plan,the 1944 White Paper and the Willink Plan,the hospitals nationalization was implemented by Aneurin Bevan,the Minister of Health during the Labour government.In the gradual and radical reform path,Britain's conservative tradition,the civil services and the ruling ideal of Labour Party ensures the continuity of the reform ideas.However,the effect of the war,the leadership function and the welfare consensus made the reform has a "radical" pace.The policy of hospitals nationalization was not only caters to public opinions,but also contains concessions for the interest groups.It is also a reflection of the ruling ideas of the Labour party.After the hospitals nationalization,the public hospitals began to provide free hospital services.The country is subdivided into 14 regions.In each region,a Regional Hospital Board appointed by the Ministry of Health and responsible for the guidance,planning and control of hospital services in this area.The detailed management of the hospitals is under Hospital Management Committees appointed by the RHBs.The consultants and specialist began to employ by the government,and paid by the Exchequer with the national standards.Meanwhile,the new health services were separated dispensing from prescription.Patients could get free prescription drugs at any pharmacy.Though classifying health care system,the tax-based system,medical staffs' wages standardization,separation of dispensing from prescription and etc.,the Labour government fulfilled the promise that everyone,no matter rich or poor,women,elders and children could enjoy free and equal medical services.The hospitals nationalization was under specific historical conditions.It is the product of a combination of social realities and the ruling ideas of the Labour government.This reform experienced a long process.It demonstrated the constitution of Labour party and positively response the social needs.It radically exploring a new form for the development of the post-war health services,so that achieving the health equity.The reform has a good effect on the hospital finances,reception system,doctors' regulation and hospital renovation,so that it improved the equity and accessibility of health services in post-war Britain.However,the success of reform depends on the specific social conditions,thought backgrounds,political environments and timing.With the development of the society,high cost and low efficiency of the public hospitals gradually exposed.What kind of role the country should play in the hospital services became the focus of government and public.Therefore,after the 1970s,the British hospital system began to introduce the "inner market" and attempted a process of denationalization.