The NHS was born out of a long-held ideal that good healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth. When it was launched by the then minister of health, Aneurin Bevan, on July 5 1948, it was based on three core principles:
- That it meet the needs of everyone
- That it be free at the point of delivery
- That it be based on clinical need, not ability to pay
These three principles have guided the development of the NHS over more than sixty years and remain at its core. However, in July 2000, a modernisation programme was launched and new principles added. These require that:
The NHS will provide a comprehensive range of services
The NHS will provide access to a comprehensive range of services throughout primary and community healthcare, intermediate care and hospital-based care. The NHS will also provide information services and support to individuals in relation to health promotion, disease prevention, self-care, rehabilitation and after-care.
The NHS will shape its services around the needs and preferences of individual patients, their families and their carers
The NHS must respond to the needs of different groups and individuals within society. The NHS will treat patients as individuals, with respect for their dignity.
The NHS will respond to the different needs of different populations
Health services will continue to be funded nationally and be available to all citizens of the UK.
The NHS will improve the quality of services and minimise errors
Healthcare organisations and professions will identify procedures that should be modified or abandoned and develop new practices that will lead to improved patient care. All those providing care will improve safety and learn from and reduce mistakes.
The NHS will support and value its staff
The NHS will continue to support, recognise, reward and invest in individuals and organisations, providing opportunities for individual staff to progress in their careers and encouraging education, training and personal development.
Public funds for healthcare will be devoted solely to NHS patients
The NHS is funded out of public expenditure, primarily by taxation. This is a fair and efficient means of raising funds for healthcare services.
The NHS will work with others to ensure a seamless service for patients
The health and social care system must be shaped around the needs of patients. The NHS will develop partnerships and co-operation at all levels of care:
- Between patients, their carers, families and NHS staff
- Between the health and social care sectors
- Between different government departments
- Between the public sector, voluntary organisations and private providers in the provision of NHS services
The NHS will help to keep people healthy and reduce health inequalities
The NHS will try to prevent, as well as treat, ill health. It will recognise that health is affected by social, environmental and economic factors such as deprivation, housing, education and nutrition, and, with other public services, will intervene before as well as after ill-health occurs.
The NHS will respect the confidentiality of individual patients and provide open access to information about services, treatment and performance
Patient confidentiality will be respected by all health and social care providers. The NHS will make information about health and healthcare services available. It will continue to use information to improve the quality of services for all and to generate future medical benefits.
Developments in science, such as genetics, offer important possibilities for disease prevention and treatment in the future. The NHS will take advantage of the opportunities offered by scientific developments and will ensure that new technologies are used in the interests of society as a whole and available to all on the basis of need.
