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Creation of the National Health Service

Checking orders for new spectacles.

Demand for glasses soared as spectacles became available on the new NHS.
©TopFoto

The inauguration of the National Health Service (NHS) under the Labour government in 1948 was preceded by various plans for a health service during the war years.

Related documents

The Beveridge Report

Cabinet Memorandum. Social Insurance and Allied Services. Summary of Report by Sir William Beveridge. 25 November 1942 (PDF, 3.449MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. The Beveridge Plan. Interim Report of the Committee on Reconstruction Priorities. 11 February 1943 (PDF, 2.519MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. National Health Service. 15 February 1944 (PDF, 0.763MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Proposals for a National Health Service. Memorandum by the Minister of Reconstruction, the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Scotland. 5 February 1944" (PDF, 21.256MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Health Service. Memorandum by the Lord President of the Council. 4 June 1945 (PDF, 2.137MB)

Aneurin Bevan

Cabinet Memorandum. National Health Service. The Future of the Hospital Services. Memorandum by the Minister of Health. 5 October 1945 (PDF, 1.188MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Proposals for a National Health Service. Memorandum by the Minister of Health. 13 December 1945 (PDF, 2.851MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 6. National Health Service. 11 October 1945 (PDF, 1.681MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. National Health Service. 18 October 1945 (PDF, 1.334MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. National Health Service. 20 December 1945 (PDF, 1.461MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Health Service. The Future of the Hospital Services. Memorandum by the Lord President of the Council. 12 October 1945 (PDF, 0.601MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Health Service. The Hospital Services. Memorandum by the Minister of Health. 16 October 1945 (PDF, 0.651MB)

The National Health Service Bill

Cabinet Conclusion 3. National Health Service. 3 December 1945 (PDF, 2.718MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Health Service. Sale and Purchase of Medical Practices. Memorandum by the Minister of Health. 3 December 1945 (PDF, 1.316MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Health Service Bill. Memorandum by the Minister of Health. 1 March 1946 (PDF, 12.168MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 7. National Health Service. 8 March 1946 (PDF, 1.653MB)

Birth of the National Health Service

Cabinet Memorandum. National Health Service: Attitude of the Medical Profession. Memorandum by the Minister of Health. 19 January 1948 (PDF, 5.284MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. National Health Service. 22 January 1948 (PDF, 1.400MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. National Health Service. 29 January 1948 (PDF, 1.725MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. National Health Service. 2 February 1948 (PDF, 1.412MB)

Search using Beveridge Report Regional Hospital Boards

Further reading

Webster, C., The National Health Service: A Political History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998)

Content

Creation of the National Health Service
Beveridge and Bevan
Policy and inauguration

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