Healthcare in UK

The first healthcare reform in UK was dated back in 1911. David Lloyd George's proposed National Insurance Act was passed in parliament.  This National Insurance Act would make it compulsory for UK residents to pay a tax from their payrolls in order to qualify for public health care benefits.  However, the flaw of the system was obvious to see in that it was applicable only to the citizens who were gainfully employed.

Healthcare in UK and NHS

 A more significant change in the national welfare policy only happened in 1946 and it has resulted the formation of the United Kingdom National Health System (or NHS).  Before NHS, healthcare was in the exclusive domain of the very rich and famous only.  For the less well-off folks, the options to receiving medical treatments were either teaching hospitals or charity.

 There were a lot of resistances from the medical field, especially doctors, when NHS (which advocated free public healthcare at that time) was first announced to the public.  It was only after repeated reassurances from the then Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan, that the community has finally accepted that NHS aimed to serve the overall good of the UK healthcare system.

 The original objective of NHS was noble enough.  It seeked to bring comprehensive health care to every single UK resident, no matter of social status or income level.

 Then in 1974, the public began to question about the wisdom of separating the three primary areas of healthcare.  A further round of reform was initiated and a new structure was put in place to ensure that the above mentioned three primary health care areas could be adequately supported by the respective government authorities.  When Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister, further tweaking on the healthcare systems was ordered.  Finally in 1990, the National Health Service Community Care Act was made part of the legislation and new regulations were passed to overlook the creation of Trusts, which was meant to facilitate the management of the UK public healthcare.

 NHS has been a mainstay in UK public healthcare for long period of time.  However, it has come under threat from private healthcare providers in recent years.  Due to the growing population, NHS is sometimes no longer capable of providing the kind of service level expected by UK public.  The most commonly heard complaint is about finding a dentist with available timeslots.  It is no wonder more and more UK residents are checking out private practice in order to receive treatment.

Private Health Insurance in UK

Sure enough, the private healthcare sector has come a long way in UK.  Today it plays a critical and complimentary role to the national healthcare system.  If you have an impending trip to the UK for either leisure or business, you can count on us to help you find an appropriate insurance company capable of providing international medical insurance coverage for your trip.  Please get in touch with us so that our staff can guide you to find the most suitable coverage for you, be it hospitalization, outpatient, maternity or dental services.